One of a Kind
by The Riddick
Summary: What better place is there in the universe for a renegade Specter to hide out and lay low than Tuchunka? With a hormonal tankbred as her companion, danger everywhere, and a whole mess of uncovered secrets chasing her, Shepard's journey is just starting...
1. Chapter 1

_A/N:: Um...yes... About this story, well, I've wanted to write it for a while now. So I hope you all enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it! ^_^ These are actually my favorite two pairings in the games. Don't ask, I'm a twisted little bastard, I know. And to all of you people out there afraid of alien/human relations, leave now. This is rated MATURE for adult language and situations. Please run away now if you are easily offended by either. You've been warned. Mass Effect is not the game for you… I don't even know where this crap comes from anymore._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect nor its characters. I am just abusing them horribly in an attempt at pleasing my upset brain when I discovered that Grunt was in fact, not a romance option._

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><p><strong>One of a Kind<strong>

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><p>She was staring at him again. He could feel her eyes upon him like hands, touching, caressing, running over every inch of him. He wasn't sure of how he felt about that. But, he refused to look over at her. Instead he continued to stare down that older, larger Krogan that sat dominantly before him. The tan skinned, red crested, scarred battlemaster looked strong, stronger than any other Krogan that Grunt had encountered before, including his creator, Okeer. There was a knowing, unwavering calculation in those bloody eyes that both reassured the Tankbred male and unnerved him. He could easily see why Shepard respected Urdnot Wrex so much. The younger Krogan was surprised to feel a slight flare of jealousy burn in his chest.<p>

"So, you're still alive, are you, boy?" Wrex chuckled, his rough, dark voice filled with a pride that had the younger Krogan blinking in surprise, " Good. Can't have you getting killed by one of Shepard's damn missions just yet."

"Tch, of course he's alive. I told you I'd bring him back in one piece," The human woman grumbled, her smooth, musical tone contrasting vividly to their rubble laden surroundings. Grunt had found her voice...pleasing, even when she had spoken that first time. He'd been in the tank, of course, but he'd heard her, heard her commanding that he be released. His gaze flitted over to take in her profile as she strode close to the head of Clan Urdnot. Her body was lithe, sleek, and every movement that she made was fluid. She conjured images of a great hunting cat that had been in Okeer's memories. A streamline, deadly killer that was deceptively small and beautiful. He couldn't help the soft rumble that filled his throat as she seated herself on a slab of concrete right at the older Krogan's feet.

Wrex smirked faintly as he turned his attention from the young kid that stood tensely before him. The boy had it bad. Poor bastard. His red eyes landed upon Shepard fondly, a small smile gracing his rough features. He'd been surprised to see her come back so soon, though he was far from complaining. Shepard was one of the few individuals that he could stand talking to for longer than a few seconds. And he missed their adventures terribly. He wanted to go with her so badly, but he had a responsibility to the clan now that he could not abandon. A satisfied sigh left him when the human leaned against his calf, something she had taken to doing when they'd sat in the underbelly of the Normandy bullshitting for hours on end.

"So what are you planning to do now?" Wrex asked her, pointedly ignoring the heated glare he was getting from the tankbred. She shrugged her shoulders weakly, sagging in a worn manner as she yawned.

"To be honest, I was thinking about disappearing for a while. As far as the rest of the Galaxy knows, I am dead. The Council could care less about me and because I haven't exactly checked in with them, they most likely think that I am dead. As for Cerberus, I just bet the Illusive man is just DYING to get his hands on me. I sorta blew up humanity's chance at becoming the superpower of the universe," She explained, smirking roguishly at the thought of the asshole's face.

Grunt chuckled in amusement, brilliant blue eyes blazing with mirth. It had been funny to see that crazy human's dreams crash and burn. And satisfying.

"Well, you are welcome here, Shepard, you know that," Wrex replied with a laugh of his own, "Cerberus should have known that you weren't going to be their little pet. Hell, you are responsible for destroying nearly every base in the Terminus systems and beyond. I'm surprised that they didn't bring you back for the sake of killing you themselves."

"You know that would have only pissed her off more," Grunt commented, folding his muscled arms across his chest.

"True," Wrex chuckled fondly as he ruffled the young woman's hair roughly, earning a growl of protest from her. She swatted halfheartedly at his hand, trying to look angry, but the amused glint in her eyes gave her away.

"Hn, what better place to lay low for a while than on the planet of my heart?" She stated finally, earning a surprised look from Grunt. She rolled her head to the side to look at Grunt, a dark, borderline sadistic look crossing her features that still bore the faint outlines of glowing orange. He felt a tremor roll through his muscled form, "Besides, what better way to get you settled into your new family than getting these stupid bastards to listen to Wrex, huh?"

Grunt swallowed hard, unable to get words past the lump in his throat. He nodded sharply, a grin of his own lighting his features. Something...odd, something that O'keer's imprinting could not explain stirred in him. Shepard blinked in mild confusion when Grunt's expression took on an almost hungry tint. Wrex let out a snort and rolled his eyes.

"Good luck with that," He growled out on a scoff. The older Krogan could attest to how thick headed and set in the old ways the bulls on Tuchunka were. Then again, knowing Shepard, she'd convince them or blow them to hell. Either way, things worked out for Wrex in the long run. His clan was still small compared to the most of the others, but they were a force to be feared and every Krogan on Tuchunka was giving them a wide berth now that Urdnot Wrex was back in his rightful place. Shepard and her new charge, Grunt wiping out a few vermin recently had also gained them a few more allies. If the red haired human turned Krogan wanted to take on the whole planet, he wasn't about to stop her, " Boy, I need to speak with your BattleMaster for a moment. Go speak with the Shaman about setting up a place for you and Shepard to stay."

Grunt looked ready to protest, knowing full well that he had the capacity to hold his own against the older Krogan. He did not like the idea of leaving Shepard alone with anyone, especially Urdnot Wrex. However, the firm, yet reassuring nod from Shepard had his hackles lowering slightly.

"Find me later, BattleMaster," He let out in a rich rumble that bordered on possessive. Wrex watched in amusement as the young Krogan left them reluctantly. He motioned to the four armed guards to give them space and then turned his attention to the red head. For a long moment he simply studied her from his perch.

Wrex didn't like humans. He found them to be too soft, too...small and well, breakable. Shepard was like an antihuman. Sure, she was small, but she was powerful, durable, and hard muscle beneath silk. How did he know this? With a longing touch to her hair, he recalled their closeness in the past, the few times when he had let himself go to the attraction he'd felt for her. And she had let him, had felt just as drawn to him as he had been to her. They were so similar in thought, in honor, in battle. It was natural that he'd wanted her. And she looked to him as a guide, a strong anchor that was reassuring and never far from her side. They'd messed around a bit, but he'd never actually mated with her. They'd been too busy stomping Saren and his little machines into the dirt. He'd fantasized about it for a long time though. Even at present he'd have moments in which his mind would replay some of their more...interesting encounters and what would have happened if things had gone differently.

"What's wrong with him?" He voice roused him from his thoughts and the scarred Krogan let out a scoff.

"Hormones. Let's just say that he's finally realized that he has a dick and he's starting to figure out what it's for," Wrex responded bluntly, causing Shepard to tilt her head back in an odd angle to look at him. His suddenly heated eyes had a faint blush rushing to stain her cheeks. She let a slow, playful smirk stretch her full lips as she turned and folded her arms across his left upper leg.

"Is that your problem too, Wrex?" She purred out his name and a jolt of heat shot straight to his crotch.

"When isn't that my problem with you, Shepard?" He growled, snatching her up and sitting her in his lap. She let out a squeal and laughed despite the rough handling. The Krogan clan leader squeezed her hind quarters in appreciation, delighting in the little noises that escaped her throat. His hard stare caught sight of the slight hesitation in her features and a toothy grin crossed his mouth, " You like him, don't you?"

She looked up at Wrex blankly beneath the weight of his accusation. He didn't seem angry about it at all, if anything he seemed...pleased? Her brows furrowed in confusion.

"What do you mean? I can't like him," She replied in firm denial. He didn't buy it. Wrex fisted his hand at the nap of her neck, knowing that she really liked it and forced her head to the side, leaning in to rub his snout along the line of her slim neck. She gasped and her heart kicked up into her throat as his hot breath fanned over her skin. Gooseflesh raced down her spine when his tongue snaked out to run over the soft skin, tasting her. "I can taste it on you, Shepard."

"B-but, what about..."She trailed off. She had never really been sure as to what had gone on between the two of them. Some exploring, some teasing, some rough petting but it hadn't gone beyond that. Did that make them...something other than friends? He let out a soft rumble.

"Us?" At her slight nod, he grazed her neck with his blunt teeth and she squirmed in his grasp. He sat up again and released his grasp on her, the human woman trying to get her feelings sorted out as she looked up at him through heavy lashes. "You already know that Krogan in our time share women. I'm old, Shepard. But I am not a follower of the ancient ways. Before the Genophage, Krogan took the Rite of Honor to find a life mate, now we take it to breed with any female that accepts. I've had sons and daughters, more than most. I have to as Clan Leader."

She bit her lower lip. Logically, she had already known that Wrex was a practitioner of the free Krogan breeding process and she also knew that as Clan leader, he was the most sought after and qualified. But it still stung in her chest knowing that she'd never have him to herself.

"I know that you are too damn possessive to handle that." He chuckled and she blushed darker.

"Of course. What is mine is mine and everyone else can back the fuck off or I'll kill them. It's that simple," She growled out impressively. A little flutter of excitement filled his chest at the thought of being possessed by the powerful woman. The thought of her fighting and destroying others for him, to keep him, had the veteran stirring to attention in certain places.

"The boy feels that way toward you," He murmured knowingly, earning a squawk of denial from her, " I see it in how he looks at you and I can smell it from him even from here. He wants you for himself and I can't say that I blame him. What are you going to do?"

"What do you mean what am I going to do? He's...he's Grunt for crying out loud! I...I haven't even really thought about that toward him because I was..." She broke off with an embarrassed sigh.

"Waiting for me?" He offered softly. She was grateful that he wasn't mocking her, "Well, either way, he needs to get himself under control; otherwise, he's going to be dangerous, especially to you. Just... watch yourself. Don't do anything to set him off. I'll have a talk with him."

She nodded, grateful that Wrex was so willing to help Grunt. Shaken, Shepard slid down from his lap and he was sad to let her go.

"And Shepard... just a warning; whether you accept him or not, you're mine first," Wrex growled out in a hungry tone that had a visible shiver rolling down her heated flesh. The old Krogan had more than one reason for his statement. He knew that as inexperienced as Grunt was and as fragile as Shepard was that the younger male had a damn good chance of hurting her. Wrex would need to break her in a little so that she'd be able to handle the more muscular Krogan. He just wondered how well the Shaman would take the idea of Grunt not being a part of the breeding population. O'keer would be rolling in his grave.

His words echoing in her mind, she strode off to seek out her Krogan partner. As she walked, her pace was slow and a little on the aimless side. She chewed on Wrex's words. She had to admit, Grunt was a beautiful piece of work. His body was so different from the hunched, bulky shouldered males that made up most of the Krogan race. Tight, corded muscle, lining a large, perfectly shaped frame beneath thick sunset colored scales that held an iridescent tone were molded together to form his handsome figure. Even his hard, armor like plates were different, all of them disjointed unlike the smooth, connected crests and back plating of the others. And his were gunmetal silver. She adored that hue. But it was his eyes, gorgeous, breath taking blue, that had her captivated.

Even when she'd seen him asleep in O'keer's lab as the doctor shook her hand in his almost painful grip she'd found him beautiful. She licked her lips and scratched at her left palm as it tingled in memory of the sharp bite of one of the doctor's claws. Damn she was fucked up in the head. And at the same time in that moment, she'd felt a strange sort of resentment towards the "perfect" Krogan in the tube. What about all of the others; the thousands that O'keer had tossed away without a thought simply because they had not been as perfect. Because of the treatment of those unfortunate, devoted children that had been cruely abandoned by their "father," Shepard had wanted nothing to do with O'keer aside from putting a bullet through his eye. They hadn't meant to be imperfect. They hadn't had any control over that. It had been all O'keer's fault and yet the old bastard hadn't taken responsibility for them, hadn't even treated them like Krogan!

She was so focused on her dark thoughts of the past that she slammed head long into a wall of armor and muscle. The jolt of surprise had a strange, abrupt burst of anger surging through her veins and a dangerous, almost inhuman snarl rushing from her lips as she turned her narrowed amber glare upon whoever had been stupid enough to stand in her way. Curious, questioning blue met her and she blinked out of her stupor, realizing who exactly she'd run into. Her anger flushed from her system so fast that she felt dizzy.

"Grunt?" She asked lamely, moving back a step to give herself some space as her pulse jumped. He let out a semi concerned grumble, cocking his head to look her over as she fidgeted.

"You losing your edge, Shepard?" He asked a playful teasing in his rough tone that had an uncharacteristic flush spreading over her features. It wasn't like her to be so distracted.

"Something like that. Wrex wanted to see you. I wouldn't keep him waiting," She responded hastily, dropping his probing stare and moving to step around him. His hand shot out, capturing her upper arm firmly. His darkening stare, piercing, insisting held her wide eyes as she felt that unfamiliar anger tickling at her again.

"Did he do something to you?" He demanded in a snarl, his stare becoming harsh, angry. Her eyes clouded over in a sadness that wasn't lost on the Krogan. He felt that anger double. She had been hurt by Wrex's admission that they could never truly have any sort of relationship in a romantic sense, despite already knowing that it would have been unlikely for the attraction between them to go anywhere. And yeah, she still felt that attraction, but it was more of an attraction to his personality, his strength, and to the comfort she found in him, not so much physically. She also knew that she'd never be able to give him the one time romp he wanted with her. It wasn't her style to do one night flings. She was too devoted to her lovers and she needed someone that wouldn't skip off after the sex was over. The red haired woman blinked away the growing moisture in her eyes, surprised that she'd let it get to her so much and shook her head at the large male that loomed over her.

"No, nothing that I didn't already expect," Her words were bitter sweet and they tore at the tankbred's insides as she bit her lower lip. And then that usual fire, that hard, commanding expression returned to her features as "Commander Shepard, the Specter" once again regained control and in a dominant tone she stated, "Besides, it's nothing that is any of your business. Get down there to see the Clan Leader. I have to contact Garrus and update him on our status."

He didn't release her and in fact, tightened his grip on her armor clad form as a low, possessive growl left his lips.

"If it has to deal with you, then it is MY business, Shepard," He hissed out darkly. The red haired woman saw red. He had outright ignored her order, invaded her personal space in a domineering way, and not so subtly stated his claim over her and her affairs. It was then that the white hot anger, the violent need exploded within her. In the space of a few heartbeats Grunt found himself tossed none too gently through a nearby stone wall with enough force to shatter said wall and gain the attention of every nearby Krogan. He groaned in pain, grasping at the crumbled stone to pull himself up into a seated position. His confused, angry glare swept through the dust clouds that had begun to settle and focused on his attacker in shock. Shepard stood where he'd detained her mere moments before, arms falling back down to her heaving sides. She looked positively feral. Her eyes were two blazing orbs of molten orange, red hair messy and falling slightly into her tanned, sweat lined face as she sucked in deep breaths to fill her lungs.

The air crackled with her hostility and the energy she'd used to chuck the nearly one ton Krogan warrior like a ragdoll. Clansmen nearby gapped openly at the display. The small, deceptively petite female righted herself and swiped a few strands of hair from her eyes before stalking toward the flabbergasted male she'd thrown without the use of her biotic power. He swallowed hard, unable to stop himself from being aroused by her display of strength and the way her hips swayed as she stood over his fallen form dominantly.

A soft, warning growl fell from her lips and she placed her booted foot in the center of his chest, roughly forcing him back to the ground with a grunt. The stone gave a shudder as the weight of the big male left a tangle of cracks spidering over its surface. She moved her feet to straddle the prone Krogan, bending at the waist to grip the front of his armor and jerk his head forward until their faces were inches apart.

"Who is your BattleMaster, Grunt?" She demanded, fury powering her voice. He could taste her rage in the air and it was intoxicating. He shook slightly beneath her, swallowing hard as he ran an appreciative gaze along the sleek planes of her body.

"You are, BattleMaster," He answered, feeling suddenly meek. He was appalled by the overwhelming need to submit. He'd never felt anything like it and it confused him greatly.

"Exactly. So when I tell you that something is NOT your business, then you had damn well better listen!" She snapped out before releasing him and storming away angrily. Several curious Krogan jumped out of her way in fear as she strode in the direction of the small shuttle that they'd arrived in, the pissed off woman punting an unfortunate pyjack on her way down the metal steps. Grunt remained where he was for a long moment before slowly picking himself up out of the rubble. He'd never seen the human woman use that much strength before, hadn't even been aware that a human COULD lift that much so easily. It was pretty common knowledge that even the strongest of humans could barely lift twice their own body weight, especially the females. A few Krogan moved closer to their thoroughly thrashed brother, looks of awe and admiration on their faces.

"Your BattleMaster is strong for a human," One said reverently.

"You...you think she falls under the Rite of Honor?" Another asked tentatively, the others voicing acknowledgement.

"I don't know, but I intend to find out," Grunt all but growled, his gaze heated as he stared off in the direction Shepard had gone.


	2. Chapter 2

SOrry for the delay on this and also for the short chapter. Things will be picking up in the next one, which will be lengthy. ^_- Thank you all so much for reading and for your wonderful reviews. Reading them makes me even more anxious to write this story. Enjoy~

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><p>The hiss of the shuttle doors caused a tightly held breath to rush from the trembling woman. Every cell in her body craved violence. It was different from the adrenaline rush she had in battle. That rush was exhilarating and it had her blood pumping with oxygen to power her muscles and reactions. This new feeling was... more. It felt as though the very blood in her veins was trying to break free of her, as if she needed to run, to fight, to feel flesh giving way beneath her fists.<p>

The feeling rose and fell against her tightly held control in waves of intoxicating need. She felt strong enough to take on a Thresher Maw on her own with her bare hands and god was the urge tempting. Throttling Grunt had only brought the anger, the need to a fevered pitch. Shepard felt like a proverbial bucket of ice water had rushed down her back and she was jolted back to reality. When in the hell had she become that strong?

She looked down at her hands in confusion. And then she felt a gut wrenching twist to her insides. A groan rushed from her lips and she pressed her hands to her abdomen to try and soothe the pain. The Specter slid to the floor as heat washed over her body in pulsating flashes and with a whimper she assumed the fetal position. It almost felt like-

The tell-tale blips of her armor suit had her face going pale.

"FUCK!" She half roared, before glaring in the general direction of her vagina that felt as though it were trying to dig its way out of her abdomen with a rusted spoon.

Outside of the shuttle, the posted guards looked at one another with visible shudders. They knew all too well what a woman was like during her "First Heat." All of them suddenly felt very sorry for whoever had to be in the human's presence for however long she was in this stage.

Grunt felt an oncoming sneeze creep up on him as he paused before the narrow ramp that led to the Clan Leader's throne. For some odd reason a hint of foreboding tickled at his spine and he held back the sneeze stubbornly. The hot blooded youngster boldly trudged forward, head held high in defiance as his brilliant eyes fell upon Wrex. The memory of Shepard's hurt expression flooded his sight and before he could stop himself, he was rushing the older male with a snarl. Wrex smirked in a sideways manner and deftly bounded over the charging Krogan from his seat.

The movement had been too quick for the younger male to expect and Grunt let out a frustrated roar as his hard crest slammed into the unforgiving stone of the throne instead of the slightly softer flesh of the other Krogan. Grunt whirled, murder written all over his feral face.

"All worked up over a nice pair of legs and some human ass are we boy?" Wrex asked him with a chuckle. Grunt shook himself from his stupor, glaring fiercely at the Warlord.

"You hurt her!" The multicolored tankbred accused, widening his stance as he prepared to attack again. This gave the Urdnot leader pause and Wrex straightened from his own battle stance to fix the younger male with his bloody stare.

"If I hadn't, she never would have considered you for the Rite, now would she?" The yellow skinned Krogan asked knowingly. A sly glint shined in the aged Krogan's eyes. Grunt blinked in surprise, his mouth opening in protest, only to snap shut moments later. He groped for a response as his mind went blank beneath the implications. Clan Leader...WANTED him to take the Rite of Honor for Shepard? A heat very different from anger, but equally adrenaline inducing rushed through the tankbred's veins.

"But, why? She wanted you," Grunt demanded, fists clenched at his sides. Wrex sighed softly and rubbed the back of his neck to ease an ache as he strode past the other to his seat. He motioned for the younger Krogan to sit himself on one of the raised stones that were situated a few feet from the Leader and craving answers, Grunt complied.

"Shepard is a good female, stronger than most Krogan females, even the males," Wrex began, resting his chin on his fist, " But, she wants one mate and one mate alone."

That seemed reasonable to Grunt. He cocked his head slightly at the older Krogan.

"She can't give me any younglings, idiot," Wrex deadpanned. Oh. Grunt suddenly understood and felt slightly stupid for it. But his blue eyes returned to glaring at the other Krogan.

"So why did you show interest in her if you never intended to be what she wanted?" He pressed, letting out a soft rumble of annoyance that Wrex was beginning to find obnoxious.

"We thought that we were going to die on that mission. She was hot for me and I have always had a thing for a woman with a gun and an attitude problem. I never thought in a million years that I would end up back in this hellhole with these bastards and yet, here I am." Wrex explained and Grunt could tell that he was beginning to lose his patience. " You know that our race is dying and that I am needed to fulfill my duties to the clan. I was willing to give Shepard what I could, but she is too territorial for sharing me with anyone. So, it's done."

Grunt was silent for a long moment, eyes staring intently at the rubble at his feet for a long time. Did he want Shepard to want him? Did he want her all to himself? His throat tightened and a shuddering purr that was different from any sound he'd ever made before escaped him, earning a chuckle from Wrex. Suddenly embarrassed, Grunt looked up at the older male.

"How...how would I...make her hot for me?" Grunt asked hesitantly, using the other Krogan's words to try and portray what he wanted. Wrex lost it. His deep, resonating laughter made the younger Krogan want to pound his face in. It took the older male a few moments to settle his mirth, wiping a few stray tears from the corners of his eyes.

"Don't ever use that sentence again, boy," Wrex advised with a lingering chuckle. He fixed Grunt with a serious stare then, eyes holding a dark menace that hadn't been there previously, "You had better be serious about this, boy. Because if you are not and you find out that she isn't what you want, you'll hurt her worse than I ever could."

"What do you mean? How?" Grunt asked. Okeer had never mentioned anything about this sort of thing.

"Do you want her more than anything?" Wrex demanded forcefully, gripping the arms of his throne harshly. With wide, uncertain eyes the younger male stared at the old Warlord. Wrex narrowed his eyes to slits and he rose from his seat. Grunt found his thoughts spiraling back through he and Shepard's journey thus far. She'd been the first outside voice that he had heard aside from Okeer and her voice had instantly had the young Krogan wanting to escape the tank. She spoke to him often while he was in stasis aboard the ship and every time that she left him, he found himself feeling empty and lost. Alone.

He couldn't recall much of what she had said during those few days he'd been under, but he had learned her voice. It was husky, and thick, a bit dark for a human, and borderline sensual. Hearing her speak to him about nothing had been his first attachment to her. Her voice was beautiful. Even when she was angry about something he found himself enjoying the sound. She was an angel compared to Okeer. He had conjured images of a powerful, graceful Krogan female, knowing just from the sound of her that she would have been a battlemaster with bright scales and a horned crest scared from dominance battles with other females.

And then she had woken him up. His blue eyes had fallen upon her small, human body with disappointment. He'd thought that she would have been a Krogan, or at least bigger than the female that had stood warily before him. And so he had tested her, his battle rage demanding violence. Without any fear, the little human woman had taken his abuse in stride, and grinned up at him with a challenging glare. He'd been so taken aback by her fierce words and even the gun she'd leveled to his gut that Grunt had had no choice but to be impressed by her. Then much later, she'd taken him here, to Tuchunka to find out what had been bothering him, even going so far as to claim him as part of her krant. He'd never expected anything like that from her.

In that moment he'd found himself hopelessly devoted to her and vowed to follow her to the ends of the universe until either they ran out of enemies or perished by someone stronger. She was his battlemaster, the only woman that deserved to belong to him. With a dark, possessive growl he glared at his clan leader.

"Yes. I am the only one who deserves her and she is the only woman strong enough for me," He replied, the tankbred's head rising and chest puffing out in a proud display of dominance. Wrex tilted his head sideways, a crooked grin curving his reptilian lips.

"Alright. Prove it. If you can get Shepard to kiss you, I'll give you the blessing you need to take the rite of honor for her," The red crested battlemaster stated after a moment. Grunt blinked in confusion.

"A...kiss? What is this...kiss?" Grunt questioned in a manner that had Wrex cracking up all over again. This kid was just too innocent and clueless to be a Krogan. Head tilted to the side and face scrunched in confusion, Grunt had never heard the term and was angry that the other Krogan clearly did.

"You'll have to figure that out on your own, now go to your battlemaster and get her settled into her quarters. Just don't do anything to piss her off too badly. We don't want her to pop a heat sink in your ass before I'm done using you two to clean up the rest of the clan vermin," Wrex commanded the still confused tankbred. Grunt left him then, rubbing the back of his neck as he ambled in the direction of the hangar. He wasn't exactly excited about the prospect of going to the shuttle so soon after Shepard had voiced her displeasure with him. What had he even done to piss her off so much anyway? Pausing, the Krogan turned back to Wrex.

"Clanleader?" He questioned, earning a sigh of annoyance.

"You're beginning to turn into a pain in the ass, Urdnot Grunt," Wrex dead panned with a roll of his bloody eyes.

"Have you noticed anything...different about Shepard?" Grunt pressed, looking slightly concerned and a little lost. Wrex blinked, half tempted to tell the younger male to go bother someone else. But then he stopped himself, recalling her actions lately. Shepard had always been unpredictable to an extent. Her emotions; though focused and practically non-existent in battle, were a little bit like a revolving door. One moment she was calm, tactical, and serious, the next, bubbly, playful, and downright childish. His eyes narrowed in thought. Her scent. There was something... off about her scent. At first he thought it may have been because of Cerberus' tampering with her human body. But the scent was too familiar, too... alive to be any high tech modification.

"A few things. I'll keep an eye on her to see if it's anything to worry about," The clan leader answered finally.

"But-"

"Don't make me get my gun, boy," Wrex warned and Grunt sighed in defeat, continuing off to find his battlemaster.

"Take two pain killers at each meal. Avoid anything greasy or too sweet and try to keep your emotions under control until I arrive," Was the short, clipped instruction fired off by the fast talking salarian, Mordin Solus. "As for the headaches, I recommend staying in warm, dark places with low sound contamination for the time being. I can give you better care in person."

"Thanks, Doc," Shepard sighed softly from where she was curled in the fetal position on the shuttle floor. The hologram of the doctor gave her a sympathetic smile.

"No, no, Commander, I should be thanking you for everything. Our Turian friend will be coming with me. He won't take no for an answer. Says he needs to make sure you're in one piece himself," Mordin added, sticking to their agreement to not use names should any hacker come across their conversation. It was important that Shepard remain undiscovered for the time being. She wanted the whole mess with the Collectors to blow over before the Council realized that she was still very much alive. She'd had enough of being the dog of the universe for a while.

"Heh, he's such a mom. Alright, I'll see you in a few days," She responded before the hologram flickered and died. She sighed softly, tucking her knees beneath her chin and clutching at her thighs. The ache in her abdomen was murder, worse than any cramps she'd ever dealt with in her life. But in two days, Garrus and Mordin would arrive and make everything all better. Then, she could get back to her vacation of beating Krogan to a pulp and playing with Urz, the Varren. And then she heard the hiss of the doors being opened. With a grunt, Shepard inched back beneath the seats she'd curled up under further to escape the light that flooded the room. The thudding footfalls of the Krogan Grunt had her tensing and she could make out his large shadow as it fell across the far wall. With a hiss the hatch slid shut again and when the Krogan moved to turn on the light, Shepard felt a burst of adrenaline channel to her limbs. Before he had time to press the small, harmless button, Shepard caught his wrist and slammed it back against the wall. She glared up at the shocked Krogan dangerously, holding him in place with not only her strength, but her eyes.

"Don't. Turn on, the light," She warned in a rough growl that had a tickle of heat roll over the male. His free arm snaked about her armored body, forcing her roughly against him and Shepard felt her strength drain beneath his piercing blue stare.

"What is wrong, Shepard?" He asked in a low rumble as he lowered his snout to her neck. When she tried to jerk back, his other hand fisted in her wild hair, wrenching it back to give him better access.

"Grunt, if you don't let me go right this second, I swear I'll-"

A warning growl had her stopping short in her threat and her breath hitched in her throat. His nose pressed to the thin column of soft, tanned flesh as his hot breath fanned over it. She broke out in gooseflesh, a shudder rushing through her body. He drank in her scent that was much more potent than he ever remembered it being and a ragged groan fell from his mouth. She whimpered in response, squirming in his grasp. What was going on with him!

"Grunt?" She breathed out in confusion.

"You smell...different. Good, like...I... I don't know. It makes me want to taste you," He explained bluntly. Belatedly, Shepard noticed that she was no longer in pain. She was also suddenly aware of her body growing heated due to his words and actions. She pulsed with a strange and sudden need for him to touch her, to run her hands along the planes of his muscular body, to... to. Oh God. Panic swelled within her and in a desperate moment she threw a punch at him. Grunt was not ill prepared however, and deftly tilted his head aside.

"Let go!" She demanded. He didn't want to. He wanted to keep her right where she was and hold onto her a while longer. Eyes brighter than any she'd ever seen before in the past fixed her with a hungry stare and she could not stop her heart from fluttering wildly.

"I'll let you go...if you give me a kiss," He stated bluntly with a tilt to his large head.

"If I..." She blinked at him in surprise and disbelief. What the hell? Her own eyes filled with a violence that had excitement coursing through the Krogan's insides. Ancestors he loved it when she got mad, though he wasn't quite sure why she was mad at the moment. Her pupils dilated, teeth bared, and a small vein at her left temple ticked to the beating of her pulse. However, what he was not prepared for was the surge of biotic energy that encased her slender frame in an intense violet glow. The particles of her body shattered in his hands and she slipped through his fingers, rematerializing a few feet away. "You forget your place, Urdnot Grunt!"

His own anger flared up and it was all he could do to not tear the whole ship limb from limb.

"Kiss me," He demanded roughly. Shepard let out a snort followed by a laugh.

"Why would I kiss you! You man-handle me, piss me off, ignore every order I give you, and then demand that I KISS you! Go fuck a pyjack!" She snapped in her rage that could have easily put any krogan's to shame. Grunt growled darkly, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides as he glared hatefully at the floor. This wasn't going the way it was supposed to, was it?

"What can I do to get you to kiss me?" He asked through clenched teeth, obviously straining to keep his temper under control.

"Why is it so important that I do? Why do you want me to? If you haven't noticed kissing isn't exactly something I do, Grunt! And How do you even know what a kiss is in the first place?" She demanded her hands on her hips as she glowered up at him. Through the dim lighting of the ship, Grunt was able to make out her flushed face, the way she bit at her lower lip in an action that held an almost nervous undertone. And then there was her scent. It was faint because of that damn armor, but it had changed drastically. A potent spice had flooded it causing the male krogan's nostrils to flare and certain parts of his anatomy to become extremely interested in the situation.

"Before I can take the Rite of Honor you must give me a kiss," He stated boldly, feeling his heart lurch at the prospect. The look she gave him was comical, her eyebrows vanishing behind her bangs, mouth quirking to the side in an odd frown.

"The Rite of what?" She deadpanned, brows lowering in suspicion. Grunt blinked, suddenly wondering if telling her would be a good idea or not.

"I'll tell you if you give me a kiss," He countered, unable to help the grin that played across his mouth, eyes alight with a mischievousness that never boded well for anyone involved. Shepard looked about ready to backhand him. And when the small human half tackled him, smacking him repetitively on the chest, he could not stop his outburst of laughter.

"You smart-assed sonava bitch! Oh I'll give you a kiss alright, you big jerk!" She ranted as he half-heartedly shielded himself from her attacks that honestly, were not painful at all. What happened to that colossal strength she'd shown just moments ago? He decided that perhaps conceding defeat for now would be the best choice of action and as she huffed and stopped her assault on his person he righted himself.

"Shaman has issued us a place to stay. We can move our equipment and things there wherever you are ready," He reported, still smirking at her playfully.

"You aren't going to tell me are you?" She demanded.

"Tell you what?" He asked innocently only to be forced to sidestep another blow with a chuckle.

"Forget it, I am staying right here on the shuttle. YOU can have the room," She snapped. Grunt rolled his eyes with a sigh and strode to the set of lockers in the back, yanking the door off of its hinges and began pulling her belongings out of it and into his arms.

"H-hey! What the hell! Cheater!" She protested as he slung his own bag over his shoulder and began striding toward the door.

"Don't make me carry you," He warned, his expression showing how much he would enjoy that. With a pout and a glare that wasn't intimidating in the least, she punched the button for the hatch and folded her arms over her chest stubbornly.

"Bastard," She hissed, to which he shrugged and waltzed out into the tunnels, triumphant grin on his features. Whatever this kiss thing was, he didn't know, but he was enjoying her reactions too much to care. There was something strange about the way she acted toward him, something almost...he didn't know, testing?

Women he had decided were far too confusing for him.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thanks once again for all of your support, everyone! ^^ This chapter was written out mostly before the release of ME3/demo so forgive the inaccuracies of the female Krogan. Personally I feel like Bioware kinda gipped us on the design of them anyway. Cheaters. Covering them from head to toe. I will be posting illustrations of the females eventually. I hope that you enjoy the chapter. I do plan on adding the reapers in here eventually, however this will not follow most of the events of ME3. I may touch on some here and there but for the most part this will be very AU. How many think I should make Garrus an actual love interest in this? I am tempted to make it one sided and stick to just Wrex and Grunt as the main parts of the triangle. Opinions? And OMFG ME3 is finally out! –GLEE- Guess who isn't doing anything else for the next month! 8D -Riddy

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><p>"Warm, dark places with low sound" was the rueful, longing thought that chimed in the back of Shepard's mind as she tucked into a roll in order to avoid the blast that narrowly missed her and destroyed an impressive area of landscape in her place. The concussion of wind and heat was thankfully dampened by her armors kinetic barriers that glowed unhappily at the prospect of being put to use. Again. The thoroughly pissed off woman was on her feet again in the space of a heartbeat, dual pistols firing in the direction of her attacker. Said attacker was a large, brown-crested asshole of a Krogan sporting clan leader armor and wielding a heavy rocket launcher along with his six cronies. She was really beginning to hate this planet. Her abdomen protested each and every motion and she had a headache that was absolutely killing her. And yet, here she was, running through the rubble strewn sewer of a base that Clan Rautoch called home, dodging projectiles and wading through piss water. She was going to murder Urdnot Wrex when she finished here.<p>

Apparently Clan Rautoch had stumbled across an emissary of clan Urdnot's females along with three women stranded out in the wastes when their vehicle had broken down. They of course took advantage of the situation and murdered the guards and captured the females. One lone guard had survived his wounds and dragged his beaten and bleeding body to the Urdnot base to warn the clan. Wrex had acted immediately, grabbing his own weapons and mobilizing an impressive number of Urdnot members. Shepard of course, was asked to come along. And how could she refuse a chance to see an actual female Krogan? Shepard very quickly determined that her curiosity was out to get her killed.

The human leapt over a thick boulder and kicked a startled Rautoch in the chest with both feet, slamming him onto his back before unloading a few rounds into his skull. Her body hummed with the thrill of the fight, the sound of gunfire despite the pain. In fact, the pain was a good motivator for her violence. She'd lost track of Grunt when the clans converged upon one another, the young tankbreed barreling into the heart of the fight with gusto. Shepard had decided to hunt down the source while the others distracted the main horde. That may not have been her smartest decision ever. Her radar warned her of an enemy to her right and she let go of her right pistol, hand bursting with biotic energy and in the space of a heartbeat fired off a violent surge of violet power that knocked back the Krogan that had taken aim at her. She dropped to her knees and snatched the falling gun before it hit the ground and fired what was left of the clip into him. The hum of her shields and a flare of orange was the only warning that she had before she found herself hurtling to the side. With a cry of surprise she collided with a half standing wall, once again grateful for her thick armor. Of course this did nothing for her headache.

A violent snarl left her and she roughly forced herself up from the ground to glare back at the Krogan Clan leader that had slammed into her like a mac truck. She winced when a sharp pain erupted in her chest after a deep inhale. Great, the asshole had broken a few ribs.

"Oh, I am going to KILL you!" She yelled out as a sadistic laugh left her cracked lips, blood trickling down her chin. She half hopped two steps before letting go of the chains on her biotic powers. It encased her streamline form in concentrated energy and lit up the room with that almost electric purple glow. Time slowed, her body contorted, slipping through the particles of the air, the stone in her way, even the rocket that sped happily toward where she had been standing previously. She could see him, the way his yellow eyes widened in surprise and anger, his teeth grinding together and vainly trying to ready his weapon. But it was far too late for that and she was on him. Her power erupted against his armored form in an explosion of violence so profound that the other three near him were cast aside like a child's dolls. It took several moments for the world to right itself, for the sound of Shepard's gunfire to register in the ears of those that had fallen and in the slowly fading light of energy that still crawled over every inch of her, she looked every bit the bringer of death.

Grim faced and determined the small woman hooked a hand under the ridge that marked the bottom of the clan leader's crest. He blearily looked up at her and let out a grunt of agony. She'd shot him multiple times after landing her attack and orange fluid seeped from his wounds. With a strength that didn't seem at all possible, she dragged the injured male through the corridor, boots clacking against the stone in a steady, purposeful stride. The battle was still raging when she emerged with her prey into the main chamber. Wrex noticed her immediately and lumbered over, firing his shotgun off to decorate a nearby wall with the insides of an idiot trying to charge him without slowing.

"Shepard! You shouldn't have, how thoughtful of you," He called as she dropped the Krogan she was manhandling at his feet.

"Like it? I thought it would look great next to Uvenk and Guld in the trophy room, don't you think?" She asked, dark smirk lighting her features. The Rautoch leader groaned in agony, barely conscious from the look of him. Wrex chuckled lightly and abruptly curb stomped the defenseless Krogan on the neck, twisting his head into an odd angle with a sick crunch. The rest of clan Rautoch had either fallen or surrendered. Wrex had been considerate enough to order his men to not kill the defeated. They were, after all, just following the orders of an idiot, in his words. Most of them hadn't even known that the females had been abducted. Her eyes flitted over the battlefield, instinctively seeking out Grunt among the dying chaos. Wrex said nothing, despite the smug smirk that tugged at his mouth.

"Found em!"

Speak of the devil. Shepard turned toward the direction of Grunt's happy exclamation, only to have the grin on her lips wither. Grunt strode toward them beaming like he had just won a medal, two smaller forms moving behind him, and another cradled in his arms. In. His. Arms. A vein in Shepard's forehead pulsed angrily. She could not explain it, but for some unfathomable reason, seeing him carry ANYONE, let alone a female had that primal rage in an uproar that dwarfed anything she had felt before. She swallowed hard, doing her best to keep from just shooting the people they had come to save in her anger.

"Wrex! You came for us!" The thing in Grunt's arms gushed, her voice rough, yet definitely female. It was a velvety tone that seemed to be lined with barbed wire; fitting for a Krogan. She was not what Shepard had expected in the least. Much smaller than the males she had seen, the Krogan women were much more streamline, with sleek plates covering the backs of their humanoid limbs and spines. Their garments were fairly non-existent, revealing their cream and green hued skin that, like the males, were made up of small, smooth scales. They bore no humps, and their crests were surprisingly more elaborate and if Shepard were to compare them to anything, it would be to un-winged, anthropomorphic dragons from Earth myths. As they came closer, Shepard was able to make out the complex ridges that formed into a trio of horns ; the two outer horns standing several inches longer that the center. Where hair would normally have formed on a human, instead were the trademark disjointed plates that rolled down her neck and spine. The one that Grunt held bore a much more impressive…well…rack than the other two, the bright blue crest stunning against her pale yellow scales and black and blue tinted plates. She looked important, her body covered in strange blue and white paint and loaded with heavy looking necklaces.

Shepard hated her immediately. Grunt sat her down more gently than Shepard had EVER seen the young Krogan treat anything, and had to hold back the growl in her throat that threatened to crawl its way out of her mouth when the female stroked his face almost affectionately. She had large hips, the human noticed, and her tail seemed much longer than the males. Her chest was covered with a bright blue cloth wrap that was secured behind her neck and concealed the large breasts she was sporting. They certainly didn't help Shepard's self-esteem any.

"Of course, you'd never stop nagging if I didn't," Wrex replied with a snort, crouching down to her level from where she sat atop a flat rock. One of her reptilian legs had been injured, most likely during the capture. The female backhanded the Warlord lightly (Well, Krogan lightly) on the arm, doing her best to look offended despite her obvious relief and amusement. Her bright green eyes flicked over to the dead clan leader and satisfaction crossed her features that were much more narrow and short than the males. Shepard had to grudgingly admit that the female was beautiful. All three of them were. She still didn't like them. Especially since the other two had chosen to stand obnoxiously close to Grunt. They seemed like giant high school girls tittering over the hot football captain. Ugh. It also didn't help one bit that they seemed to pointedly ignore Shepard. Not at all.

"Tehra, I want you to meet Shepard, this is her handiwork. Shepard, this is Tehra, my sister and head of the females," Wrex stated, a knowing gleam in his eyes that Shepard was beginning to hate.

"A human? Is this the Shepard that you told me about?" Tehra asked curiously, turning up her nose slightly at the prospect of being rescued by a human of all things.

"Yes, yes, that's me, you're welcome. Now if you'll excuse me, I have more lives to end, Grunt," Shepard retorted shortly, unable to stand it any longer. She motioned sharply to the tankbred that looked slightly disappointed. He waved almost cheerfully at the females that made noises of disappointment before trotting off after his stiff looking battlemaster. An amused smirk crossed the reptilian mouth of Tehra and she arched a hairless brow as she looked up at Wrex.

" She's bullshitting herself," He commented with a chuckle and a shrug. It was obvious that he found it hilarious. Tehra gave him a reproachful look and shook her head.

" I can't blame her, he's very…" Her statement trailed off with a growled purr that had Wrex rolling his eyes.

"I don't need to know. Really. Thanks, but I'll pass on any more insight into my sister's mind," Wrex deadpanned dryly, scrunching his nose unpleasantly. Tehra's mirth ebbed however and she fixed Wrex with a serious look.

"That human has something very, very wrong with her. She's putting off more aggression than one of us during our end cycle. From what I know of humans, they don't have cycles like ours. You need to be careful because she smells like she is coming into heat soon and I don't know if she will be able to contain her anger for much longer," Tehra warned, green eyes full of concern. Wrex sighed softly.

" I was aware that something was up with her. She has been…much more violent lately. I thought it was a side effect from when she was rebuilt, but I could be wrong. Some doctor friend of hers is supposed to be here any day now to check on her," Wrex replied, seemingly uncaring. She saw through the act. Her brother was genuinely worried for the human. Her eyes lit with a sudden revelation as she turned her gaze to the small female human's figure among the rubble as she hunted for stragglers and then back to the clan leader beside her.

"No…Wrex?" She asked, eyes wide and inquisitive. Wrex's stare became harsh and cold.

"Drop it woman," He snarled, bloody eyes near murderous. " More of your guards will be here in moments. They will take you back to the camp safely."

She watched her brother lumber off to help finish up, a tightness building in her throat and a deep sadness gathering in her knowing eyes. "Oh brother dear, what have you done to yourself?"

Her girls stood protectively to either side of her, both looking confused from the exchange, but knew better than to ask anything stupid. Tehra was very much like her brother as far as that went and neither wanted to meet the more powerful female's horns up close.

For what was most likely the millionth time, Grunt found himself confused by Shepard's foul mood. Typically when they were killing things, she was in a good mood, but it seemed like each step she took, every bullet she shot, even every Krogan that she killed, she became pissier. He followed her into the bowels of the base, catching her grumbled curses every now and again and finally, sick of hearing it, the young Krogan snapped. Grunt snagged her by the shoulder armor and spun her about like a toy before shoving her none too gently against the nearest wall.

" What in the hell is your problem Shepard?" He growled out, not noticing the wince that stole across her features when her ribs protested the action. She clawed at his arms violently, kicking her feet out to try and land a hit.

"YOU are my problem you big dumb lizard! Let me the fuck go, right now!" She screeched, the rage in her eyes different than the last time he held her like this. She was also obviously beyond any sort of restraint.

"What did I do to make you so angry! I wasn't even with you because you slipped off without me! I even looked for you on the battlefield!" He yelled back. His earlier annoyance and slight worry over her had returned as anger that she hadn't waited for him to be at her back to help her.

"Oooh no, you are NOT turning this around on me! You are the one that had to go all gung ho charging into the battle with the rest of the clan instead of waiting to even see what I was doing!" She spat out in response, her anger washing through her system like a violent burn, " And then you show up carrying miss warrior princess! 'Oh Grunt you're so manly~!' Oh my god, they make me sick!"

"I am a Krogan! Charging into battle is what I do! You should be used to that by now! And the females didn't say anything about me being manly! They were just thanking me for helping to save them!" Grunt replied, gesturing wildly with the hand he wasn't using to hold her in place.

"Oh yeah, sure if that's what you want to call it! You were too busy staring at their tits to pay attention anyway!" She snapped sarcastically.

"I-" He had been about to yell something back in his rage but then his mind caught up with him. Now, Grunt tended to not think too much out of principle. Thinking too much made things more difficult than what they needed to be, after all. But for once, his brain kicked into overdrive and Shepard could practically see the gerbils powering the cogs in his head keeling over from the effort. A slow, almost wicked smile grew on his face and she inched back into the cement warily.

"What!" She asked defensively, almost afraid of the answer as those bright blue eyes practically glittered.

"You are jealous," He half purred and Shepard's face paled before turning brilliant red. She squawked indignantly, renewing her efforts to free herself.

"HAH! ME! Jealous of THEM! I'm Commander fucking Shepard! The damn sun is jealous of ME! Why in the world would I EVER be jealous of a group of walking baby machines with scaled tits?" She half laughed hysterically and Grunt's smile grew.

"I knew it! You are!" He exclaimed triumphantly as her cheeks darkened and her eyes widened. So this was mortification. Huh. He gripped the back of her hair so that she couldn't move; putting enough pressure that it almost hurt, he dipped his snout to her neck, inhaling her troubled scent deeply. Oh yes, he could smell it now for sure. She was going into "alpha female mode" and every inch of him was tingling from it. She was jealous of those females because they had admired him, had touched him, and he was loving every second of it.

"S-shut up! I am not!" Freezing in his hold, she cried out. A dark rumbled left him, sending butterflies dancing through her chest and abdomen.

"I can smell it on you, Shepard. You don't want them touching me, looking at me. Every inch of you wants to fight them, doesn't it?" He goaded, his voice dropping a few octaves into a tone that he shouldn't even know how to use on her. She could do little more than let out a pathetic whimper in response and a sharp heat shot straight to somewhere she wished it hadn't. Grunt smelled the change instantly. It was like Shepard had transformed into the best smelling thing that he had ever smelled. Ever. He rubbed his nose along the small patch of skin exposed to him, enjoying the smooth texture against his mouth. He exhaled against her flesh and had it prickling against the sensation along with a soft, barely audible moan escaping her throat. That one sound froze the big male in his tracks and a visable shudder shook his form. His breathing quickened and tightness in his lower half urged him to action. He wasn't sure what action, but who was he to ignore the demands of his body, especially if it meant Shepard making that sound again. He opened his mouth enough for his tongue to taste that curious pale skin and he felt the little human go limp in his hold, her knees giving out as she sucked in a sharp breath.

"Grunt, you need to…stop," She whispered, unable to get her throat working. The feelings were too powerful and every part of her wanted to let him do what he wished. "Please."

"You don't smell like you really want that, Shepard," He replied. The way he said her name was completely unfair on his part. Since when did he know how to tease her like this? He was Grunt for crying out loud! And no, she really didn't want him to stop, or at least that strange hormonal side of her didn't . But she needed space, need to stop this before something happened and she couldn't hold back anymore. She panicked and lost in her scent and in the knowledge that he had gained, Grunt was taken completely off guard when she kicked hard with both feet at his mid-section, sending him flying back several meters. She dropped to the ground in a heap as tremors shook her small frame. Why was her body doing this to her? All of this was too new, her wounds from Wrex too fresh. Something was very wrong with her body. Why had she spent all of that time with Grunt in the past, seeing him mostly as the rambunctious, over-sized, violent kid brother and now magically her body wanted…Argh!

She was Commander Shepard, not some hormonal slut that couldn't control herself! She didn't need any of that garbage and there was no way that she was going to give into whatever these weird urges were. She was above falling to her emotions. She had to be. But…the war was postponed. She had stopped the Reapers for now, hadn't she? No. They were coming; she could feel it within her bones. Every single day brought them closer to the billions of lives that were too busy going about their business to worry about the monsters in the dark. Shepard knew that becoming attached to someone, anyone right now would end in disaster.

"One of these days, you aren't going to be able to escape me, Shepard," Was the throaty statement that Grunt made from where he stood towering over her slumped form. It wasn't a threat, nor was it a teasing comment. It was stated as a fact. The burn of those intense blue eyes bore into her own with an assurance that terrified her more than any Reaper ever could.

"What do you want from me, Grunt?" She demanded, mouth becoming a firm line. He was down at her level before she could track his movement, trapping her there half beneath him as his large hands gripped the stone to either side of her. And for the life of her, she could not look away from those eyes.

"A kiss…" He rumbled lowly and her chest constricted tighter than before.

"I can't," She replied stubbornly. Orange hued eyes blazing, she stared him down.

"You will," He stated confidently, as though he were calling the dirt brown.

" Hey! You two coming? We're shipping out!" Was the call of another Krogan. Shepard was on her feet in a blink, gun holstered on her back and relieved grin on her features. Grunt shook his head at the change.

"Race ya back~!" She exclaimed, knowing Grunt well enough that he couldn't turn down a contest of any sort. And he didn't disappoint, the big guy lumbering forward at a surprisingly quick gait. Shepard let out a bark of laughter in response to his growled out cry of "Bring it on, human!" and took off into a full sprint. Thankfully she was still able to side track the male. Who knew how long he would let it slide before he took charge.

After an irritatingly long farewell to the females during which Grunt played up their attentions on purpose for the sake of pissing off his battlemaster, Shepard had decided to ride with Wrex in the other truck. Grunt had of course, laughed at first and then sulked that he wasn't able to sit with her on the way back. Instead, Shepard had sat grumbling next to Wrex who seemed perfectly content to chuckle at her misfortune. Why did it feel like she was a teenager back in the drama of the academy all over again?

"I got news from the clan. Your Salarian and pet Turian have arrived. He wants to see you as soon as we get back. He pisses and moans more than Chakwas ever did," Wrex warned her and Shepard sighed in both relief and exasperation. Mordin was most likely going to lecture her about running off into battle with her illness. Whatever. She had never been one to sit back and let others do the fighting. The journey back did nothing to aid her ribs and abdomen and by the time they had arrived, Shepard was almost in tears. Wrex let her bury her face in the side of his torso as she sat in the fetal position, ignoring the curious looks from the others. To hell with what they thought. In too much pain to walk unassisted, the Clanleader scooped her up as though she were a small child and because he was Wrex and no other, Shepard settled into his arms with an incoherent mumble and let herself be carried. Grunt was not happy to say the least.

The tankbreed glared dangerously at them as Wrex strode past, blue eyes filled with the very same jealousy that Shepard herself had displayed earlier. Smirking at the turn of fate, Wrex hefted her closer to him, being sure to keep a clawed hand on her ass. The dark growl that answered the motion was music to his ears. Younglings were so predictable. And yet he never grew tired of tormenting them.

Mordin had already set up shop inside of the medical area, much to the dismay of the head scientist that seemed to be contemplating the best means of removing his unwanted guest.

"Shepard!" Garrus exclaimed, rushing over to meet Wrex, holding out his arms to accept her from the Krogan anxiously. The silver gray scaled Turian brushed aside a stray strand of hair from the human's eyes, mandibles flared in worry. She blearily looked up at him and smiled slightly, easing some of his concern. "You aren't looking so great."

"This coming from the guy who took a rocket to the face," She grouched. He couldn't help the laugh the escaped him as he lowered her onto the hard table. The turian would have preferred her be in a much more…well…sanitary environment, but he couldn't be picky. A pale and reddish hued salarian toddled over with various frightening looking devices in hand.

"Let's take a look, shall we?" Mordin babbled pleasantly, his Omni tool flaring to life as he waved it over her body. It was of course at that moment that Grunt decided to barge in.

"What is wrong with my Battle master?" He demanded, shoving aside both Wrex and Garrus angrily. The jealous and obviously pissed off Krogan didn't seem too pleased to have other males fussing over what he was determined to stake a claim over.

"I'm fine-"

"Look, she doesn't need some big thick headed behemoth charging in here, so why don't you go wait outside," Garrus stated, pushing back at the Krogan that had invaded his space next to the Commander.

"Listen here, Turian, I have just as much right to be here with her as you! In fact more because she is MY battlemaster!" Grunt snarled, turning his heated glare upon the unimpressed sniper. Garrus scoffed at the retort.

"Yeah, well she's also my commander and if I remember correctly, her BEST friend," He recalled.

"Guys!-"

"She's on MY home world so piss off!" The young Krogan roared, ready to pummel the other male.

"Both of you get out NOW!" Mordin yelled in irritation. " Will summon you when Shepard is stable. Find somewhere else to flaunt your testosterone!"

Cowed into submission by the small scientist, the duo made their way outside, both claiming a side of the door to lean against. They glared over at one another in mild contempt before turning to stand guard over the room.

"She will be fine," Garrus commented after a long moment, earning a soft rumble from the Krogan.

"Of course she will be. She's Shepard," Grunt responded, but it was clear to Garrus that the big guy was clearly very worried. It had the turian's mandibles clacking curiously. Suddenly, he wasn't so sure about Shepard remaining in hiding here on Tuchunka…


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thankyou everyone so much for your support! I am absolutely floored by the number of people that enjoy this crap that I just happen to projectile vomit through my hands on the screen. This chapter is for all of you. Thank you for being such wonderful muses. I love you all. Warnings for violence, puns, and dun dun duuuunn…..some lemonade? Enjoy and let me know what you think. The next chapter is already mostly written and it is going to be fairly large. This chunk didn't quite fit so I split it. Expect it in a week or so. I do have a convention I am doing this coming weekend so I will do my best to have it up after I return.

Being under anesthetic had always been something that made Shepard wary. Sleeping in general tended to be something she put off as much as possible, what with the whole, being unconscious for two years thing. No, she refused to refer to it as death. Thinking that way was just too overwhelming and her life was already too crazy as it was without her having to rationalize or speculate about her continued existence. So, she differed to the timeless human tradition of denial in the face of things her brain couldn't wrap around. And so it was no real surprise to her that while under, her mind went to a strange, uncharted part of her mind.

She was back on Virmire. She could tell from the endless sea that glittered blue green in the tropical sun, the palm plants that swayed happily in the pleasant breeze and because of the faint gunfire that echoed all around them. The later ruined the picturesque scenery. Salarians without names or faces scurried for cover, the impressive battle cry that could have only belonged to Urdnot Wrex scattering them like Earth rabbits. Shepard bolted toward the commotion, knowing that if she didn't step in that someone was going to die. With an army of fake Krogan and a giant base to contend with, she didn't think that they needed anymore fatalities. Wrex was pissed. His heavily armored form paced the beach, shotgun letting loose loud shots that ripped through the relative peace. She remembered this. This had already happened. They had stared each other down, neither wanting to back off and yet hesitating at killing each other. She didn't want to kill him. She respected, hell nearly felt like she loved the big guy; not that she had told him that. He hadn't wanted to destroy the base because of the possible cure to the genophage. Shepard understood. But she also knew that these Krogan Saren produced were nothing but drones, hollow, and useless as anything more than cannon fodder. Hell none of them even had minds!

They had yelled at each other until they were both on the verge of snapping until something she said made him back down. She knew that he was going to be pissed for a long time after the mission, but when it was all said and done and she watched from space as a close friend became dust and meat, she hadn't resisted finding him. Garrus and the other soldiers that usually inhabited the lower deck had made themselves scarce when Wrex had stormed aboard. Needless to say, it was still deserted aside from the Krogan that was angrily pacing the length of the hanger. Shepard tensed the moment his bloody eyes fell upon her unarmored form and she held her ground as he bull rushed her. With a stunning amount of control on his part, he stopped mere inches from her, hot breath heavy as it fanned her blank face. Her orange eyes didn't blink, or waver and he growled low in his throat. He was hurting as she was. And uncaring of the consequences, Shepard lifted her bare hand to trace the wicked looking scars that lined the right side of his face. He let her touch him, his scales shivering under the light treatment. With a soft rush of air from her lungs, she found herself pinned to the elevator door, one of the krogan's large hands on her hip, the other her breast.

Her hands gripped at his armor, more startled than frightened by the sudden move. Wrex buried his snout into the side of her neck, inhaling her scent deeply as he held her in place. Teeth grazed her flesh, his scent of blood, sweat, and something musky, only adding to her racing heart. He grew still, as though realizing where he was and what he was doing.

"Shepard…"

"Wrex?" She asked almost habitually, hating the way her voice wavered.

"If you don't get out of here now I may not be able to stop what I do to you or that crap you call a uniform," He warned, tone lower than normal, almost feral and full of need. Shepard took a few deep, steadying breaths, trying to gain control of her thoughts and her body. After struggling briefly, she scoffed. Fuck it. She jerked hard on the collar of his armor, bringing her face close to the side of his as her gaze became hooded. She hadn't gotten this far in life by being safe and listening to reason. Her lips ghosted across his jaw as a dark grin curved her mouth.

"No one orders me around on my own ship, Wrex. And I don't see me stopping you either," She half purred, red bangs falling into her face rebelliously as she pressed a kiss to his throat. The surprised choking sound he made in his throat made her smile broaden. He recovered quickly enough however, not about to waste time on such an open invitation and let out a snarl of approval, hands roughly exploring what he could through her clothes. " Too open here, though. Don't want anyone interrupting us, now do we?"

He grinned and tilted his head slightly. She had a feeling that he would find that situation more amusing than anything else. His armored fist smashed into the elevator console violently and Shepard couldn't stop the flinch that shook her.

"That is coming out of your pay, you realize?" She drawled blandly, glancing at the damaged keypad near her shoulder. A feral growl was her answer followed by the large Krogan scooping her up like a small toy. His claws bit into her thighs as he carried her toward the weapons berth in against the wall. He roughly flung aside spare ammo and bits, and settled her none too gently upon the cool metal that prickled her skin even through her civilian clothes. And before she could protest or even figure out what he was up to, the large male was on his knees between her legs that he held apart in a vice. She squirmed futilely, arching to look down at the top of his massive head as he nosed at the crotch of her pants.

"W-wrex?" She let out, voice much higher than normal when his large flat tongue swiped across the source of her scent. He ignored her, pressing harder against her with a second and third pass of the wet appendage. Shepard writhed and groaned in frustration, her body heating and freezing in an odd juxtaposition as the dampness seeped through the thick cloth that kept him from her. His bloody, lust filled eyes traveled up the line of her body as her breath came in quick heavy pants. She couldn't get enough air in her lungs and her fingers gripped the edge of the table harshly. She could hear her blood surging through her ears, could feel it rushing down to her nether regions and she stifled a wonton moan. The scent of metal, engine oil, and her own arousal teased at her nose along with the smell of him, heat and musk and need. Her eyes greedily sucked him in from the cocky grin to the sunset hued scales and the practically glowing blue eyes that watched her possessively, "Grunt!"

Shepard shot up from where she had been laying on the low bed she had been given for her stay, her breathing harsh and clipped and good god did she feel like the floor had been ripped out from under her. She blinked blearily into the dark room that only held what little light filtered in from the artificial lamps outside that peeked in through the cracks in the wall here and there. Her chest heaved and sweat dotted her forehead, making her mussed locks stick to her skin. A groan left her and she tugged her hair into a fist, glaring off into forever as her mind tried to figure out what in the hell had happened. She had been dreaming of a memory, one that she was particularly fond of only to have that idiot, tank-bred, jackass barge into it! Shepard's eyes narrowed dangerously as the now ever present anger tickled at the underside of her skin tauntingly. She flopped back into the pile of furs and blankets that covered the large bed. It was low to the ground and wide, easily able to accommodate an adult male Krogan but not much more than that. To Shepard it was nearly the size of her bed back on the Normandy. It was crude and constructed of a tough, scratchy mesh material that was stretched between six legs and a frame made of metal. She had of course loaded it with as many soft things as possible the moment she had moved in.

But, how did she get in her bed? The last thing that she really remembered was clinging to Wrex in the tomka. Had he carried her here? Embarrassment flooded her features at the thought of passing out in front of him and the others. She would need to do some damage control to reassert her bad ass reputation. Bad-assery did not swoon or cry like small babies. Some dick stomping, proverbial or non would be another bullet point on her future schedule to set things to rights. She felt oddly detached from her own body as she lay there blankly. A soft blip from her omni tool that sat next to her pillow caught her attention. It was a message from Mordin. Curious and still very lost she read over the contents. So he had looked her over huh? Her physical wounds had been minor and he had treated and bandaged them easily enough. He was still working out the strange illness that was in her bloodstream but had left specific instructions for her to not go anywhere and REST. Yeah. Right.

"I leave you alone for two weeks and see what happens? Honestly Shepard, keep this up and I am putting your squishy human ass in a bubble," Said an all too welcome turian that strolled inside of the modest (read: crappy and primitive) room. The blue lit scanner that was ever present on his face cast strange shapes along the stone walls as he paced before her bed with his arms folded over his chest. Shepard snorted and gave him a small smirk, eyes full of mischief.

"Thanks for caring, Mom," She stated, genuinely pleased that her closest friend had shown up. Garrus was like the jelly to her peanut butter and with him around the world was a little more stable. They had always been partners in crime, even when she had first begun her journey hunting the former specter Saren. He had always been right alongside her, getting into trouble, shooting their way out of trouble, and spouting quirky one liners in between. She was touched that out of all of her allies, he hadn't believed for one second that she was dead when she had been spaced. He'd shook his head, chuckled in that self-assured manner and simply claimed that she'd be back. He had always said that there was something almost magic about her, some spirit somewhere keeping her from passing over. He made her laugh and was easy to talk to, understanding, and very much looked at the universe much the same way she did. For a time they had briefly considered being together. Neither could take it seriously enough to try, however and had settled for being cross species siblings of a sort.

The turian plopped down on the bed, his weight swinging the hammock like thing back and forth gently. Sighing in frustration, the alien glanced over at her in her little mound of pillows and blankets and grinned toothily (not that turians could grin any other way).

" So, how's Wrex?" He asked with a sly sort of tone that had her hackles rising and her face flushing. Asshole.

"Oh you know, being Wrex. He's great, wonderful," She said it as though she were speaking of pleasant things like daisies and sunshine.

"Come now, Shepard, I'm allergic to an overabundance of dextro-amino bullshit, what happened and why in the hell has Grunt been looking at you as though you are the universe's shiniest gun?"Garrus demanded. The blanket monster named Shepard shuffled over to the metal clad turian and practically coiled herself around him, hands clinging to his waist. She hid her face from him, but he could smell the waves of unrest hovering around her.

"He can't give me what I want. He cares more about his race than he does about me and what we had," She mumbled woefully, his question bringing back her recent rejection at full force. Garrus had always been very perceptive when it came to Shepard and had called her on her feelings for the big Krogan long before even she had known. It was actually a little frightening how well he knew her.

"While part of me thinks he cares for you a hell of a lot more than he's letting on, I can't exactly say I am surprised. He is set on saving the Krogan after all," The Turian replied, running a gloved hand over her messy locks soothingly, " So, what does that have to do with our little adopted homicidal maniac?"

"Ah…that. I don't really know what to make of it to be honest. Wrex is convinced that Grunt is after me to be his mate. Why is beyond me. I am not even a Krogan and he was designed to be a pure Krogan. So, doesn't that mean that he should be programed to be only attracted to Krogan women?" She babbled nervously, burying herself further in the blankets and hiding her face in his side. Garrus chuckled softly, obviously amused by the situation.

"Well if history is anything to go by, Grunt is also terrible at doing what Okeer wants, let along doing what is expected of him," Garrus stated wryly," And out of all of the females that Grunt has encountered, you are by far the closest thing to a Krogan, Shepard. "

She was tempted to throttle him and cast a seething glare up at the turian who chuckled and patted her lightly.

Grunt on the other hand found himself seated on a cold metal table in the small side room that Mordin had commandeered for the duration of his stay. The aged Salarian had wanted to check on the tank breed to see how he was developing, not fully trusting Okeer's experiments with good reason.

"OW!" The large male yelled, flinching back from the doctor that had just stabbed a particularly large needle into the soft underside of his arm. Blue eyes glared murderously at the smiling alien that tottered away with his sample to a small lab bench nearby where he began doing god knows what. "Is there a point to this?"

"Hah, point! Word play, clever," Mordin chimed, earning a confused expression from the Krogan.

"What?" Grunt deadpanned before rubbing his arm tenderly.

"Checking up on your genetic structure and health should be routine in the case of deterioration or unforeseen illness. Also may have something to do with behavior and strange contaminant inside of Shepard. Must run comparison." The fast talking male explained in the usual quick fire manner that Grunt was beginning to pick up on better.

"What is that supposed to mean? You think I got her sick?" Grunt snarled, hands forming into fists very quickly when those words sank in.

"Doubt that, however, do not wish to rule out any possibilities without thorough testing. Cannot take any chances with Shepard's life, has already been through enough trauma, yes?" Mordin replied easily, not even sparing the Krogan a glance, "Something is inside of her blood stream, changing her genetics down to the very basic amino acids in her DNA. Need to find the source, need to determine long term and short term effects, also need to buy new socks, but first diagnosis and treatment."

"Will it kill her?" Grunt asked somberly, blue eyes downcast as the thought of him getting Shepard sick turned in his brain.

"What? Socks? Killing Shepard, preposterous!" The Salarian laughed and Grunt felt like hopping off of the table and breaking the old man's face. Mordin fixed him with a serious look then, lips a firm line. "I don't know. Possible in the long run sure, but without further testing and a source, who knows. However, Shepard is very strong even without implants. Should trust in her. "

Grunt nodded, looking down at his hands silently. After a long moment, he looked up at Mordin, curiosity overflowing his expression.

"Hey, Doc, what's a kiss?" He asked with a sly grin and Mordin gave him a puzzled look, tilting his head to the side and scratching at one of the mounds atop his head. Teaching baby Krogan nonviolent activities, eh sure, what could go wrong?

"You know what I mean, Shepard. You are aggressive, strong, independent, and stubborn. You know how to fight better than most, are incredibly hard to kill and have an attitude that would put Wrex to shame on a good day. You don't see any resemblance?" He explained, " Also you were the one to wake him up, the first person in the whole universe he laid eyes on and on top of all of that you are his battlemaster, a figure he looks up to and respects more than anyone. You can't tell me you are that surprised."

Shepard was quiet, unable to look at the alien she clung to as she bit her lower lip thoughtfully. Her heart thudded in the back of her throat and nerves tickled her skin. Was it that simple?

"Or…are you surprised for a different reason?" He asked, voice full of certainty and flanging the way it did when he knew he was right about something. She said nothing, her wide orange eyes staring up at him through her bangs and the fabric of her blankets. "Are you okay with it?"

She opened her lips to speak, throat constricting and heat crossing her face and neck. Was she okay with the knowledge that he had given her about herself? What Grunt had revealed in her? Did she want the Krogan with sunset scales? The door to her room slammed open with enough force to send it careening across the room with a violent thud, the bulky form of a Krogan male silhouetted by the bright light streaming behind him growled murderously. A roar rushed from the monster's lips and knowing instantly who it was a why he was there, Shepard ungracefully threw all of her weight and a bit of her biotics hard to the left, tossing Garrus clear of her. The armored Krogan slammed into the bed seconds later, collapsing the metal frame and toppling both him and the surprised human into an awkward heap.

"Garrus run!" Shepard yelled, placing herself over the enraged Krogan's prone form and released a burst of biotic power to force him into the ground. The Turian hesitated briefly, not wanting to leave the injured woman, but at the same time, knowing he would only make things worse. He booked it. Shepard's power held half a heartbeat before the silver clad male snarled and reversed their positions, pinning her to the dirt violently. She let him hold her in place despite the pain in her wounds and let her body go slack. He was in a blood rage and wouldn't understand commands or fighting anyway. So, she laid there. Grunt growled low in his throat, a deep resonating sound that shook her insides and the human stared up into those blue eyes that were dilated, black almost covering the whole of them.

"Grunt," She half cooed, her hands moving up to touch the sides of his face. He zeroed in on her face, teeth bared as he fought to get himself under control. An idea sparked inside of the little female and smirking mischievously, she used his armor for leverage, nuzzling her cheek against the side of his jaw. He couldn't calm down because he'd noticed Garrus, another male in her room. His hormones demanded that he attack, kill. But if she could distract him, maybe he would wake up? One of her hands moved to stroke the exposed skin of his bicep, nails dragging along the back of his arm and earning a very different sort of growl from him.

"S-Shepard?" He asked huskily in a voice that sent goose flesh racing down her body.

"Do you want me to kiss you or not, you big idiot! Get yourself under control!" She hissed angrily and Grunt's eyes went wide and he stilled, looking around the room curiously.

"I almost killed Garrus again, didn't I?" He asked almost sheepishly. Her glare was enough of an answer.

"Lucky for you, you are so damn predictable. Otherwise, I would have killed you myself," She spat, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring up at him," You broke my bed, you jackass."

"Sorry," He didn't sound sorry. In fact he sounded like he hadn't even really heard her and instead inhaled deeply. She wasn't wearing armor, only a flimsy tshirt and her underwear. Her scent was so powerful that he could taste it and oh did he want to. His scales bristled with a shudder and his claws dug into the rock and dirt and metal as he tried to resist grabbing her and just…just… he didn't know what he wanted to do, to be honest, but his body did. She stared in fascination at the chords in his neck straining as if it was taking all the strength he had to keep still. Caught up in her emotions, in the scent of him, the rush of adrenaline, her own attraction, she didn't know, but Shepard propped herself up on her elbows and ruined her future. She brushed her face against his, his warm scales smooth and nice against her soft skin. A soft sound left her throat and she pressed her lips to the side of his mouth. The Krogan stilled entirely, eyes wide, breathing hard as she laid soft kisses along his jaw, her small human tongue flicking out to taste him briefly. The sensations, though strange, alien, sent heat straight to his groin and a low purr left the big male.

"There's your stupid kiss," She whispered, nipping lightly at his jaw. Grunt felt as though his chest were about to explode, his insides twisting in a way that was both painful and pleasant. His mouth was at her neck before she could protest. He ran his tongue along her skin, his teeth teasing the juncture of her neck and shoulder in a way that had her mewling softly under him. "Get the hell up! You are hurting my ribs."

A certain Salarian doctor peered curiously inside, tapping his lips with a single digit thoughtfully. Perhaps teaching Krogan anything non-violent was impossible after all?


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: WARNING! HEAVY DOSES OF ALIEN LEMONY GOODNESS AHEAD. You HAVE BEEN WARNED. I don't want to hear any bitching later. 3

Grunt couldn't explain why he felt nervous as he wandered into the main area of the outpost toward where the clan leader's throne sat. His nerves skipped along the inside of his skin like hundreds of ants and his plates itched. He was never nervous. Not even when he had been tested in his coming of age had he shown any sort of hesitation or tension. Stepping up the incline of rubble toward Urdnot Wrex, he felt like turning tail and heading back to his room. Well, what used to be his room. Shepard had commandeered it under the accusation that he had broken hers, so his own bed was forfeit. There wasn't a chance in hell that he was sleeping in the dirt, regardless of what she seemed to think. He swallowed hard, pushing through the guards and eyeing the group of Krogan around the clan leader that milled about for various reasons.

Wrex's bloody eyes snapped up to the silver and orange Krogan the moment he smelled Shepard. His stare narrowed fractionally and his armored claws dug roughly into the stone of the chair he sat upon. Everyone around him went silent, a palpable tension resonating from the big male that had most of them backing away warily. Urdnot Wrex had been known for his laid back, no nonsense attitude when handling clan members and outsiders alike. He very rarely got angry or showed any sort of aggression. He didn't have to. He was the embodiment of control and violence and a perfect balance of the two melded within his thick hide. Every single male present knew how dangerous he was, even those who had only heard stories. He was unpredictable and easily able to murder any of them with his bare hands. Nearly a century of combat could do that to a person.

His shoulders and legs tensed and a low rumble rolled free from his throat and chest. Grunt met his stare, looking passive if not a little confused. A mistake. The clan leader was on him so fast that the younger male hadn't even seen him move. Grunt's face blossomed with pain and his whole body staggered back under the force. With an enraged snarl, he whirled, slamming headlong into the other male. Wrex bellowed his own rage as the two tested each other's strength. The powerful males strained against one another, grappling and fighting for dominance. It was like watching two titans engaged in combat. Blows were exchanged and each impact shook the air with the violence. They were beyond words and nothing mattered but rage and blood and the need to fight. Their crests slammed against one another in a loud crack of metallic plate on plate. Clan members drew back, giving them space but none of them seemed willing to leave and watched the fight with rapt fascination. All around the clan grounds Krogan emerged, running to watch the battle between the legendary Clan leader and the young tank breed that possessed almost godly strength.

It was a fight no one had expected, but everyone had wanted. None of them understood why they were fighting, but honestly, the why didn't mean shit. The thrill of the battle hummed over the massing crowd like a contagious sickness. The adrenaline had them all rowdy and cheering the fighters on. They wanted blood.

Debris and dirt scattered beneath their surprisingly agile steps. Because of their large size, many underestimated exactly how fast and almost graceful the big monsters could be, or at least, the elite members of the race. Wrex was at a slight physical disadvantage. Grunt was young, perfect, and larger. However, he was predictable and reckless with his attacks, leaving himself open to brutal punishment for even the smallest of targets. Wrex was far too intelligent and seasoned to let brute strength best him and he very clearly got that point across when he deftly sidestepped a blow that would have injured him greatly and made a powerful hit to the younger male's ribs that sent him staggering to the side and wheezing painfully. Wrex pressed his advantage and snagged the tank breed by the shoulder while positioning his legs in a way that ruined the other krogan's balance, forcefully knocking the other male to the dirt like trash.

"You'll have to do better than that, pup!" Wrex spat, disgust evident upon his scarred face, " You think you are worthy of her!? Prove it!"

Grunt roared and bounded to his feet, rage threatening to blind his mind. So that is what this was over. He was not weak! No one was stronger and no one was worthy of her other than him!

"Shepard!" Garrus called out, his gaze settling on the human woman that had just finished straightening the bedding on her new bed. She gave the turian a curious look, picking up on the concern in his tone and the ridged way he held himself.

"What's wrong?" She asked, instantly alert and ready for trouble.

"Your admirers are beating the hell out of each other," Garrus answered, mandibles flared with obvious distress . The human female let out a long, irritated sigh and dropped what she was doing. They couldn't go five fucking minutes without doing something to piss her off, could they? The Commander snagged her shotgun and pistol, shoving smaller into the back of her pants and cradling the other. Her Armor would take far too long to put on and so she simply followed after the Turian. Standard issue black boots thudded against the rocky ground, the young woman feeling naked in only a pair of military style cargos and a snug t-shirt. Her dog tags smacked against her exposed collarbones and the air in her lungs despite being stale pushed her muscles forward with a speed that surprised her. The weight of her armor gone, she felt light as a feather. They rushed down the metal steps and through the gaping hole that led to the main chamber together and Shepard's brows drew together at the massing of Krogan. She hadn't known so many of them were in the outpost.

What in the hell was going on? She heard the distinctive bellows of both Grunt and Wrex over the gleeful jeering of the crowd around them. Her heart plummeted to visit her socks. Suddenly angry and worried, Shepard bounded over rubble and vaulted over an unsuspecting Krogan that got in her way, ignoring his shouts of annoyance. She landed among the rest of the crowd and as more gathered, she was pushed and jostled violently. Her ribs ached, still tender and her headache was on the verge of rushing to the front of her mind again. She tried pushing through the big males that were easily four times her size to no avail and her rage grew tenfold.

"I said get the FUCK out of my way!" She bellowed and a discharge of violet energy surged out from her in a show of raw energy that sent those closest to her flying back several yards. Her body crackled menacingly and the air pulsed with her anger. Krogan that noticed the spectacle backed away wisely, letting the glowing human pass with wary expressions. Those not under the focus of her violence watched with an almost expectant gleam. If the Krogan had soap opera, this would be it. Garrus followed behind his commander, his expression troubled to put things mildly. Shepard was anything but subtle but the amount of energy she was putting off was vastly more powerful that anything he'd seen her use before. He'd wager that she was even a fit match for Samara or Jack now. Whatever was inside of her, changing her, was making her into something almost unfathomable in strength. She didn't even need the shotgun.

The human stopped near the edge of the platform that the Krogan had encircled, her eyes roving over the fighters. They were both impressive to watch, all muscle and power and everything that screamed male. She licked her lips nervously, flinching under the sound of each blow. She felt the world narrow to these two and something inside of her snapped. She could smell them. She had never noticed it before but they gave off a scent a pheromone of some sort. It was heady and full of spice and musk and reeked of dominance. It almost put her to the ground. How had she never noticed? And not just them, but as her gaze turned to the crowd around them, she began to pick up individual scents as well, some more pleasant than others. Her pupils dilated as her brain scrambled to digest this information. What the fuck? She glanced up at Garrus, watching his anxious features for any sign that he too picked up on it. There was nothing different about his expression.

She looked back to the combatants when a loud bang, like thunder shook the area. The two were grappled together, talon lined hands locked, foreheads straining against one another. Their armored feet sank into the solid rock beneath them and she could see the muscle in their arms straining against the force of it all. And then she noticed the crackle of biotic energy humming around Wrex, his bloody red aura almost frantic in the way it lashed out against the younger Krogan. Was Wrex out of control? Knowing that he would lose such a contest of raw strength, the clan leader shifted his weight sharply. Thrown off balance but the sudden loss of force, Grunt let out a startled yell just before Wrex's fist slammed hard into the exposed flesh of the tank breed's neck. Grunt collapsed, writhing and gasping out for air.

He was dazed, stars flashing behind his eyes as he willed himself to get up, to defend himself. He couldn't get enough air! Panicking, he clawed at the collar of his armor, mouth gapping to suck in oxygen that his body needed. A wicked looking bruise was already forming along the pale and russet scales and Shepard let out a sharp command that had Wrex freezing mid stomp. The clan leader stood poised over Grunt's fallen form, metal boot less than a foot from snapping the younger's neck into the dirt. Blinking out of his rage, Wrex looked up, eyes fixing on Shepard in confusion. He shook his head, moving back from the still stunned Grunt while trying to gain a sembalance of control. He had lost it over a female. No, not just any female. A HUMAN female. This was unacceptable. How was he supposed to gain the respect and devotion of the race if he couldn't keep even himself in check.

His red gaze watched as Shepard rushed over to check on Grunt and a dark growl filled his chest. Shepard's eyes were trained on him in seconds. She looked murderous and smelled like sex about to happen and Wrex forgot to breathe. She didn't even know what battle did to her, to her scent. He did. He had suffered years alongside her in the thick of the fighting. The violence had always made her excited and full of need, much like the Krogan, but never had she been so potent. It were as though everything about her had been magnified. He looked around the arena. Every eye was trained on her. He needed to get her out of the camp.

Grunt had mostly recovered, looking from Shepard hovering near him to the clan leader. His rage was stifled when the red crested male spoke.

"Urdnot Grunt, you've earned the chance to enter the Rite of Honor. The Rite will begin in ten days. We will begin traveling to the site on the eighth day. You have until then to prepare yourself. Any other challengers will be expected to present themselves at the start of the Rite," Wrex proclaimed, looking weary. Shepard's brows furrowed in confusion. Rite of Honor. That was what Grunt had spoken of before, " You two, help Grunt to the medic. The rest of you get out of my sight!"

Shepard had fully intended to follow after the two males that had hauled Grunt's injured form toward the clinic when a dark rumble from Wrex had her stopping in place. She turned to regard the warlord, his dominant, towering posture, the muscles that shifted under his thick hide. There was something in his stare that had her moving almost submissively to him. Maybe it was that scent that still danced through her senses, or perhaps it was the fact that he had won and her feelings for him still lingered. She wanted answers and she knew he knew something. The clan leader turned and strode to his high backed throne with a snarl for his guards to leave the area. Garrus cast a concerned look at Shepard, wary for their safety, but didn't budge from her side.

"What in the hell is going on, Wrex?" Shepard demanded when they were alone and the Krogan was left glaring at Garrus. The Turian cocked his brow plate, shifted his gun and glared right back. "Enough! I've had it with the dick waving competitions! You all seem to forget that mine is bigger! Now tell me what is happening before I get pissed!"

Wrex grinned fondly, red eyes glittering with respect and something that even the big warlord didn't want to think about.

"Fine. You want to know? Mordin gave me the results while you were messing around with Junior," Wrex began and Shepard found herself filling with confusion at the bitter way he spoke of Grunt. An ache gnawed at her stomach; worry. The reassuring claws of Garrus coming to a rest on her shoulder had her letting out a soft breath. "You aren't dying or anything, if anything you are stronger than ever. One big problem. Do you remember your encounter with Okeer?"

"More than I would like. Why?" She asked, suddenly very suspicious.

"His tankbreed isn't the only thing that you left that rock with. Mordin was surprised that he hadn't picked up on it sooner. He is certain that Okeer was smart enough to delay it," Wrex explained and Shepard's impatient nature snarled.

"What, Wrex, just tell me, already!" She hissed, eyes flashing with warning. She wasn't above torture and he knew it. He chuckled. She was going to be pissed.

"You are mutating into a Krogan," He rumbled, his expression anything but disappointed, if anything the prospect excited him and anyone looking into those hungry eyes would see that. Shepard went very still, her skin flushing white as a sheet as all of the blood in her face drained away. Her jaw dropped open slightly and her eyes went wide. Everything sounded so far away, even Garrus who called her name from a few feet from her. The only thing that she could hear was the roar of her heartbeat and Okeer's voice from that day.

"His legacy…he wasn't talking about Grunt…" She mumbled, throat dry. That was how he knew so much about her, why he had seemed so very anxious to meet her and to leave with her. She looked down at her right hand, the one he had shaken upon their meeting. She could barely see the faint, pale, scar from where he had pierced her glove with what she had thought was his claws. It must have been some sort of needle. It all fell into place then, the anger, the strange pains, the heightened strength and senses. She was so fucking stupid!

"Why now?" She heard herself ask.

"The doctor said something about an incubation period. You will have to ask him for the details," Wrex rumbled, his voice full of worry at her behavior. She was shaking and Garrus's hand on her shoulder had her flinching violently. Her large, confused eyes flitted to his and before she could protest, the turian had her pulled into his arms protectively, all but crushing her against his smooth armor.

"Why? Why can't anyone leave my body alone?" She whimpered against him, absorbing all the comfort he could give her as he stroked her soft hair soothingly. The commander was over whelmed. She had been shot, stabbed, enhanced, pumped full of drugs, killed, reborn, and now mutated?! Why!? Why was it always her? Why couldn't the universe find another fuck toy? Soft sobs wracked through her tiny frame and Garrus felt his heart clench painfully. Shepard didn't cry. But, he understood, she was overtaxed and stressed and confused. And then she was wrenched from his arms. He snarled, ready to attack but the sight before him gave him pause.

Wrex held her in his arms like a tiny doll, his free hand holding her head to his neck as if shielding her from the outside world. This was the second time that the big male had held her so and Garrus would have said he was hallucinating if he didn't know any better.

"Vakarian, I don't want you to leave her side if you can help it after tomorrow," Wrex stated, not bothering to look at the conflicted turian. Who at least had the dignity to look offended.

"Do you really think I would leave her in this hell hole? She can't stay here, not like this!" Garrus snapped, ready to take her back from him.

"No shit. I'm going to bed, we'll finish the custody talks later," The Krogan grumped sarcastically, thankfully back to his old self. The turian watched silently as the battlemaster strode off with his best friend, mandibles clicking together thoughtfully. What was Wrex playing at? Surely he didn't think he had a chance with her now that she was changing? He had given her up. With Shepard there were rarely second chances.

Cradled by strong arms, Shepard was lost to her emotions. Wave after wave of heartwrenching sobs shook her and all that she knew to do was to not let go of the cool metal her fingers clung to. She had never really been good at half assing things, so she shouldn't have been surprised that her hormones were also over achievers. She felt herself being jostled and stubbornly held on to the armor she was resting against, not wanting to let go. A deep chuckle resonated around her and blearily she looked up at the big male that held her.

"I don't care if you cry, Shepard, but let me take my armor off before you make it rust," Wrex joked in his typical way and she hiccupped around a smile. She let him set her down on the large bed looking around curiously. She'd never been in Wrex's room before. It was nothing incredibly exciting. Cleaner than most of the other rooms and more spacious, it was what looked to have formerly been part of the old ruins, intricate carvings covering the rough walls. There were shelves on which were guns and a metal closet in which were even more guns. Mounted on the wall was the claw of a massive thresher maw, dulled to a dark reddish brown. Ammunition and data pads littered a large desk area in the corner and stores of food and drink were tucked semi neatly on another wide self. The room had Wrex written all over it. He'd managed to take what was meant for luxury and make it practical.

She watched him mutely as he moved to the large armor storage unit, calmed aside from the occasional hiccup. His taloned hands went about undoing the clasps on his armor and not for the first time was she surprised by how dexterous he really was. It was easy to forget how quick he could move with how big he looked. Piece by piece he placed the armor in the racks until he stood before her completely bare save a loin wrap and the cloth that protected the hump on his back from the chaffing of his armor. He removed the straps holding the meager clothing in place and Shepard felt her face redden more than just for her tears. It had been a long time since she had seen him like this. He was muscular and a tawny yellow, every inch of his form sculpted by combat. The scars on his face trailed down his neck stopping just below his collarbone. His body was littered with other scars though none as severe. He turned and flexed slightly when he noticed her staring, unable to stop the grin that tugged at his mouth.

He was big, that was for sure, even without being turned on. It was hard to forget what sort of a monster he really was. Said monster twitched in appreciation of the change in her scent. Aw, it missed her. But then the insecurities were back and Shepard pulled her knees to her chest. She remembered his warning and she knew that he meant every word of it. But could she really let him? Could she stand to let her heart break again after it was done? And unbidden, Grunt's face swam in her mind.

"There you go thinkin' too much again. Haven't you learned by now that acting is better than pussy footing around?" He growled as he stalked closer to the bed. Every move was very much like a hunter stalking its next meal. His muscles tense and movements controlled, Wrex looked like he was trying very hard to hold back. Her wide eyes happened to glance down at the juncture of his legs again and she squeaked uncontrollably. He wasn't relaxed in the least anymore. Like the Krogan that owned it, it was rough looking, the smooth almost red tinted skin free of scales aside for a collection of small red and black plates that surrounded the base. Along each side of the gleaming extremity were what looked to be a row of dull fleshy spikes. She and that monster where acquainted but it never stopped to intimidate her every time she saw it. And if Wrex's intentions were unclear before now they were crystal.

"B-but I can't. Wrex, you only want me because of Okeer, remember? You are the one who turned me down. What makes you think I will just lay here and let you do what you want when I won't be getting what I want?" She protested when insistent claws pulled her from her curled position.

"Shepard, shut your face and fuck me. We both know it is exactly what you want," Wrex sighed with a roll of his eyes. She was just trying to save face but he could smell her, he knew how much she wanted him. This had been coming for a long time and not even a reaper invasion or the end of the world was going to stop him. She didn't know it, but this was more for her than him. He was losing her. For good. And before it was too late, the clan leader had to get her body used to Krogan sex. Grunt wasn't going to be able to hold himself back like Wrex. He was young and stupid and so full of rage. If Shepard got hurt because Wrex didn't take the time to prepare her, he'd never forgive himself.

He gripped the back of her hair and tugged her gently forward, bloody eyes watching with rapt attention as her lithe frame crawled closer. She knew exactly what he wanted from her and she looked up at him in concern.

"I swear, woman, if you don't umpfff!" His rant had been interrupted by tiny, cool hands wrapping around his length firmly. He took the hint and kept his mouth shut, watching as her fingers explored. She marveled at how soft and smooth it was, wondering with anticipation at what those projections would feel like. She had to admit that she was a little worried about if it would even fit. An insistent thrust of his hips had her focusing again on what she was doing. Impatient bastard. Her lips pressed to the tip and a shudder rolled through his tense frame. She was killing him. And then those wonderful lips were around him, her tongue teasing the underside of his length. Oh how he missed her. A low growl like rumble filled his chest as he lifted his leg to rest a clawed foot on the frame of the bed, hand stroking her hair gently. And then she started sucking. He about lost it then and there. It had been too long.

He knew that if he let her play too much he wouldn't be able to hold back anymore so with a snarl he half tossed her further up on the bed. He was above her before she had time to think, talons ripping through the thin tshirt and bra she wore. His tongue was tasting her chest then, remembering how much she enjoyed the fleshy mounds being played with. Her hands clutched at the red crest on his head as he ripped away her pants eagerly. He was oh so thankful that he had as much patience as he did. The full weight of her arousal hit his senses like a tank hitting a pyjack and for a long moment he stayed perfectly still, claws on her hips and breathing ragged.

Her heart was in her throat as she squirmed beneath him, trying to get him to touch her, anything! But he didn't move, simply allowing himself to calm down. He sliced through her panties with a flick of his finger, tossing the useless fabric aside before hauling her hips up to meet his waiting mouth. Shepard let out something close to a scream when his hot tongue rolled over her bare skin. She was suddenly very glad that she had bathed earlier though she doubted Wrex cared in the least. He was merciless, lapping at her with abandon and clinging desperately to the blankets was all she could do. His claws dug into the flesh of her ass lightly and with a hungry growl, he forced his tongue inside of her.

She came, hips thrashing and a sound that made her blush rushing from her parted lips. But Wrex was far from finished. His tongue moved in and out, stretching her, making her slick insides wetter. He couldn't use his claws on her or risk cutting her. Supporting her weight and keeping her elevated, he pulled back and fixed her with a harsh stare.

"Prepare yourself," He demanded, resting one of her legs on his shoulder, the other he held out wide so that he could see all of her. Trembling from the after effects and more than a little embaressed, Shepard brought her fingers to her entrance. Wrex watched entranced as those small fingers vanished into her, stretching, obeying. He let go of her leg to fist his erection, unable to stop himself. And she whimpered, watching him, watching his eyes on her, his hand tugging at himself desperately and she came again, back arching as she slammed three fingers as deep as she could inside.

Wrex lowered her to the bed one hand holding her hip down, the other running his length teasingly against her entrance as she rode out the tremors. He leaned over her, growling darkly.

"I don't care if you are ready anymore, Shepard, I can't stop," He warned as something similar to the blood rage threatened to overtake him. She hissed against the feel of him testing her and her molten glare met his red eyes.

"Stop teasing me, asshole," She snapped angrily, earning a proud grin from the Krogan. He pushed and she mewled. Slowly, more because she was so damn tight than anything, he entered her. He stopped about halfway to let her catch her breath. Her breasts heaved with each lungful and her eyes were screwed shut tightly. It hurt. More than she could have imagined. It had been a long time since she'd had sex and this was beyond anything she'd ever tried taking on before. He waited until her pain filled eyes met his and she nodded before moving again, groaning when he rested fully encased in that heat. She whimpered, obviously hurting, but he couldn't make himself stop if he tried. He was inside of Shepard. Finally. He rocked against her gently, shifting against her until a startled cry shot from her lips and she fixed him with a lustful look. That was what he had been waiting for.

He moved then, pulling out and then thrusting back in with short easy movements that had her keening with need. But he kept his pace even. If he didn't he was afraid of breaking her. He should have known better. In a rush of energy and wind from his lungs Wrex found himself beneath her, the little female growling darkly in frustration.

"I said. Stop. Teasing. Me!" She hissed, punctuating each word with a hard thrust. Growling in agreement, Wrex laughed and gripped her hips roughly.

"Aye, aye, commander," He half purred before unleashing the chains on his control. His hips pistoned up into her with no regard for her safety and Shepard took all that he gave, bracing herself on his abs as she forced herself down with each thrust. A steady growl built in the chest of the big male and she could feel him getting closer. The hard plates at the base of his erection hit deliciously against her clit and those short spikes caressed her walls like nothing she'd ever felt before.

"S-Shepard!" He snarled in warning as every muscle in his body grew tense and a flash of fire shot through her nerves, her motions becoming more frantic.

"Wrex!" His name moaned from her lips was the last spark before he pulled her down hard on him, hips arching upward and claws biting into her skin. His vision went white and the only thing that he was aware of was how she clenched around him and the intense euphoria that washed over him. He collapsed back into his bed, Shepard limp against his chest, still fully connected. He listened to her breathing grow more even, letting out a soft growl when she tried to move. She didn't get very far. The small spikes on each side of a Krogan's erection swelled during mating, and until they went down, she was stuck.

"You could have warned me, jackass," She grumbled, shifting to try and get comfortable. He legs were already aching from being spread. He chuckled close to her ear and in a move that came only from experience, spun her so that she was facing the other way. She yelped, arching against the sensation and tried to calm her libido as he rolled to his side with her cradled against the smooth scales of his chest. But it was far too late for he had already smelled her returning arousal and toyed playfully with her chest. She bit her lower lip and glanced at him over her shoulder, worry and confusion evident in her eyes.

"Stop worrying. I'll explain everything in the morning," He affirmed, tugging a blanket over them. She sighed in defeat, body sore and tired from their activities and her emotions. The only thing that she could do was trust in Wrex, something she was surprised that she could still do. And it was there, safe, warm, and for the first time in weeks, stress free that she fell into the void of dreamless sleep despite the nagging feeling that she had just cheated on Grunt.

A/N: Welp, there it be, the much anticipated smut scene with Wrex. I am not completely happy with it, but that is because of what I plan on doing with them in the future. Poor Wrexy. I love him so. 3 Hope you enjoyed it and thanks so much for hanging in there despite the time between chapters.


	6. Notice and A little Peek

p style="text-align: center;"strongHello, everyone. I know I have been absent for quite a long time from this and my other stories as well. Many things have happened since I last posted for you and I feel that all of you deserve at the very least an explanation. Close to the middle of last year I became pregnant, something that medically, I was told previously was next to impossible due to various factors. During that time I was very, very sick and by the time christmas eve came about I was hospitalized and suffered through a very painful and emotional miscarriage. I was...well, to put things simply, emotionally shattered. I was unable to function beyond waking up (sometimes), forcing myself to try and hold down food, and basically existing. This continued for a long time in which I was fluctuating between grief, rage, and a listlessness that I could not shake. /strongstrongHad it not been for the love of my life, I very much doubt that I would have recovered. /strong/p  
>p style="text-align: center;" p  
>p style="text-align: center;"strongOn top of this madness, I was also attacked by a man in march, ending up in the hospital with severe bruising and scaring on my left arm. This of course has only contributed to my growing hermit like tendencies. Also not one but BOTH of my computers with a partially written chapter for this story and several others decided to die horrible deaths, one to age and the other because Best Buy's solution for fixing a computer is to apparently take turns shoving it up their asses while yanking each other off. I apologize to any Best Buy employees that happen to read this. But they melted the motherboard of my baby and for that they deserve my ire. Anyway, now that I have a new computer I have been working my ass off as a freelance artist and that has taken the bulk of my time these days. On average I spend close to fourteen hours streaming my artwork a day, depending on the project. strong/p  
>p style="text-align: center;" p  
>p style="text-align: center;"strongAll of that aside, I am not telling you all of this in order to host my own pity party. Life happens and typically it happens while yelling this: "Bite the pillow bitch, I'm going in dry!"strong/p  
>p style="text-align: center;"strongDoes it suck? Why yes, yes it certainly does. But I am certain that it sucks for other people a hell of alot more than it does me and for that I am thankful. I am also thankful to all of you who have read, reviewed, and continued to hit the refresh button on your windows in hopes of an update from me. Do not worry, your waiting is almost at an end. While I am certainly much more busy than in the past, I am in fact writing and I currently have the next chapter almost finished along with the plans for the next etched out. strong/p  
>p style="text-align: center;" p  
>p style="text-align: center;"strongThat said, in regards to the last chapter and the giant WTF that no doubt echoed across this fandom after reading said chapter, trust me. I have a plan. I really, really do. Truly, this was the direction the story was meant to take from the start, though the Wrex scene was certainly a surprise. This particular Shepard is, while fairly experienced in the ways of the universe, a bit of a prude when letting anyone close, especially after being rejected and don't even get me started on her growing list of insecurities and commitment issues. She is a soldier. Emotions confuse her. strong/p  
>p style="text-align: center;" p  
>p style="text-align: center;"strongAlso keep in mind that Wrex is the least delicate creature in existence. He wouldn't know the proper way to explain a situation like Shepards with an instruction manual made with shiny colors and pictures. Why? He is all about getting to the point and the response he gave Shepard regarding what she is becoming, in his eyes is highly inaccurate. I will allow Mordin to explain things in the next chapter. Now then, because I feel like I have shafted you guys enough for a long while, I am tossing up an in between chapter here for your reading pleasure. It isn't absolutely needed for the story, but it is full of Shep/Grunt interaction and a little glimpse at O'keer the crazy. I hope you will accept my apologies for leaving you all hanging and I offer you my assurance that yes, I will be finishing this story. /strong/p  
>p style="text-align: center;" p  
>p style="text-align: center;"strong-strong/p  
>p style="text-align: center;" p  
>p style="text-align: left;"The air was an almost acidic sort of stale that reminded Shepard of the slums on Earth. It was one of many bland, mostly abandoned and then repurposed planets in universe. It really had the red head wondering if she was ever going to run out of mercs to kill because she seemed to be going through an awful lot of them recently. She bounded from the shuttle, not bothering to wait until it had gotten into the usual range for deployment and allowed her new, still unfamiliar body to bear the full impact. It barely registered in her legs and hips that she had fallen a sizable distance and with only a soft grunt she strode away from the heavy imprinting of her boots in the thick rocky terrain. She kept pushing the limitations of her new form, trying to see what they had done, what she could do now that she could not before. Thanks to the mods in her system, apparently she was a hair's breath from being inorganinc entirely. She still felt pain, still grew tired, still had unavoidable moments in which she was one hundred percent squishy, weak, and human. However, it took far longer for her to wear herself out, her skeleton and muscles empowered and though from what she had gathered from Miranda and the reports, they had tried to keep her as much like her old self as possible, they had not been successful. Not entirely. Sure, mentally she was herself despite wondering about it for several weeks. But there was a newness, a disconnected, almost surreal feeling when she did something that she knew that physically her old body could not handle. p  
>p style="text-align: left;" p  
>p style="text-align: left;"It made her more reckless. Wrex would be proud. The red head strode toward the cluster of buildings ahead, shotgun in hand as she waited for the others to catch up. Garrus trotted up beside her with a huff, looking exasperated. p  
>p style="text-align: left;" p  
>p style="text-align: left;""Y'know, the idea of getting a new body is not to try and break it, Shepard." He stated with his typical sarcastic flare. She heard the flanging resonating in his tone however and it gave away his worry. She gave him a playful smile and stuck out her tongue at himp  
>p style="text-align: left;" p  
>p style="text-align: left;""You are just jealous they didn't give you a new face," She jester, earning an eyeroll from the Turian. p  
>p style="text-align: left;" p  
>p style="text-align: left;""I had to at least give you a chance at getting laid, didn't I?" Garrus snarked and the short female barked out a laugh that made him grin. She was glad to see him smile more. He had been... distant and more than a little reckless since she had found him holed up in the middle of a warzone of mercs. Shepard knew that it would take a long while fore him to recover from losing his team, but it was a relief to see flashes of the old Garrus. He had been so starry eyed and determined to right the wrongs of the world, to follow Shepard to the ends of the universe if it meant taking down the bad guys. He had been so eager. And then, she'd left him. She had gone and died and he had become something...darker. Shepard could not help but wonder if maybe she hadn't died, if she had survived maybe he would still be the optimistic, ambitious police officer that only wanted to help people. Mordin joined them on the low rise as the echos of the merc commander's voice filtered through the ancient speaker system. p  
>p style="text-align: left;" p  
>p style="text-align: left;""SOmeone liked to hear themselves talk," Garrus said as he adjusted his rifle. Shepard flicked on her own visor, the orange screen covering both eyes and pulling up reading and relivent information. She had a feeling this was going to be a long fight. They picked their the mercs, doing their best to stay under the radar. It appeared that someone on the inside was causing a distraction to help them out. Fighting through mercs and Krogan was tiring work after a while. She was starting to wonder if this O'keer was worth all of the trouble. And then they ran across a Krogan that decided to speak. Covered in typical armor, he seemed physically to be like any other, but his speech pattern was... strange. p  
>p style="text-align: left;" p  
>p style="text-align: left;""I am not perfect. I am not perfect and so the teaching stopped. And now I wait," He said matter of factly and goose flesh rolled over her. Grown in a matter of days, programmed and then dumped like so much trash. Okeer would be lucky if she didn't just outright kil him for what he had done to thousands of Krogan. Fighting their way to the lab had been...grueling. The mercs had been child's play. The Krogan however, they were something else. True they were not tactical and lacked any sort of guidance. However, they were endless. Group after group had charged along the platforms to take on the trio and Shepard's arms were starting to get sore from the number of times the recoil of her shotgun had jarred her shoulders. When they had reached the outer office, she was hardly surprised to see the all too familiar Asari genetist that had already gotten her bag packed the moment that the intercoms had begun shouting about commandos. Clearly the woman hadn't learned her lesson, but Shepard was in far too uncaring of a mood to deal with her.p

"Okeer!" Shepard had all but snarled angrily and stomped right up to the hulking Krogan warlord. He gave her an unconcerned glance from where he stood at his computer.

"About time you got here. That human bitch has begun flushing the tanks while you wasted your time playing with these pathetic fools. Save my prototype, SHepard, then we will talk about the collectors." He stated bluntly, causing the woman to grind her teeth angrily.

"I don't give a FUCK about your experiments. In fact, I am close to outright putting a bullet between your eyes for what you've done to these clones of yours," She spat, wirling the old Krogan about and getting into his face. A crooked smile lit his rough features, eyes lighting with approval. Krogan always did love a woman that didn't put up with their bullshit.

"Then do it. But save my legacy. The perfect Krogan," He shrugged before motioning to the large tank that hung above them. Her eyes fixed upon the still, muscular figure in the tank, blinking in surprise at his appearance. The difference in him was radical in comparison to any Krogan she had met in the past.

"What, is he immune to the genophage or something?" She asked skeptically.

"Hah! I give the genophage the worst insult an enemy can suffer; to be ignored. I don't want to cure it, not like that. No, for every thousand stillborn, one perfect, strong, unstoppable warrior will be born and climb over the dead. But time is running short. I will help your cause, but my prototype must be saved." He demanded and though his ideals were...frightening, Shepard's patience had run out. She grabbed his outstretched hand in a hard, angry motion to seal the deal, ignoring the almost painful grip of the male before she jerked away to deal with more merc idiots. When were they going to learn that Clone armies didn't exactly work out?

It was hours later when Shepard had finally shed her armor for the day in the cabin that she noticed the hole in the thick material of her glove as well as the healing redness on her palm. Fucking bastard had claws of steel! With a sigh she flopped down in her chair and looked at the monitor, scrawling over the vid to look in on the "perfect Prototype" in the cargo bay. The question now was, how much of a bitching was she going to get from Miranda when she snuck down after hours to wake the ticking time bomb and say hello?

A/N: More to come soon! Also art!


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